Enc. cordigera x Enc. pyrformis repotting question

[Lynn in Michigan]

I don't know if it's spelled right It is hard to read the tag. It needed to be repotted last year but did not get done. It is in a 6 inch clay pot. I ordered a 10 inch plastic pot from repot me. It looks ok around but it is lot deeper than the clay pot. I am wondering if I should put some thing like clay balls on the bottom to take up some of the room? also I am repotting with a bark mix. sorry I can't post pics.

[Ray]

Your plant has been registered as Encyclia Dr. Robert H Palmer.

Certainly you can use a filler at the bottom.

[Lynn in Michigan]

Thank you, Ray. I was afraid it might stay too wet that way. It is at the end of it's flowering, ( 5 spikes this year!) smells so good.

[Roberta]

When I have a too-big pot that I need to use for surface area, a trick that I use is to invert a small plastic pot (or plastic net pot) in the middle. That takes up space that then doesn't get filled with medium and creates an air space.

[DirtyCoconuts]

as Roberta said, other things that also work are broken pots, lava rocks, inverted clay pots too. the net pots are truely ideal bc the make a false air space with maximum air movement but they all do similar

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

I save styrofoam packing and break it up into pieces, add to the bottom of the pot (or styrofoam peanuts). It doesn't absorb water, stays airy and lessens the weight. Of course in today's eco-conscious world, I've been seeing less and less use in packages but I have a stash.