wet or dry potting mixes and when to water post potting

[Roberta]

Different people also have different conditions. When you try to figure out what will work best for YOU, it's really important to understand how what people do relates to the conditions that they have. The "Why" part is vital... I like to work backwards from the needs of the plant - figure out where I want to get, then can look at how to get there. Likely there are multiple ways.

[Johndeaux22]

It depends on the medium for me. Sphagnum is always wet before potting, straight Orchiata I generally pot dry. Mixes with coconut husk or coir I tend to wet first. Mixes of bark and perlite or LECA I wet first. Regardless of what I do, I always promptly water freshly potted plants, and have recently added Kelpak to that routine as well.

[WaterWitchin]

Always wet here. If putting on a mount, roots are always soaked for awhile first. Keeps the roots more flexible. Sphag used to cover roots wet as well.

Other than mounted, everything is semi-hydro grown now. Almost all grown in semi-hydro. Leca, sometimes rock wool cubes added, always soaked in advance of potting.

I don't use bark, coir, sphag, perlite, etc, anymore, with the exception of a modified Isurus' PET method for Catasetinae. Still all wet when potting/repotting. Before I started growing semi-hydro, always a presoaked mix with Orchiata, sometimes coir, tree fern, etc, depending on the particular plant.

All done because it suits my culture best, in my environment.

[rbarata]

That's right, forgot to mention in my post. Always wet the roots before poting to make them more flexible.

[Dimples]

I also do wet roots + dry bark. I take the opportunity to spray down the whole plant once I’ve gently removed the old medium.

[Bethy]

I'm guessing by "spray down," you mean with water - a shower?

[WaterWitchin]

Indeed Dimples. I was just thinking yesterday while tediously dusting leaves on all my house plants (sorely needed) how rich I could be by inventing some sort of spray that would remove dust, not clog stomata, and not stain or coat any area around it (windows, table, wall). Just allow me to spray everything in situ and move on.

Perhaps one of you sciency type folks could work on that? I'd share the royalties. Oh Bill???

[Keysguy]

Definitely wet roots.
Actually you should soak the pot good before you remove it. Makes the roots easier to get off the pot (mine are always growing all over the pot before I can get around to repotting) and then they are nice and pliable to get them into the new pot.
And press the new media in nice and tight.

[Dimples]

Originally Posted by Bethy

I'm guessing by "spray down," you mean with water - a shower?

Yes, usually at the kitchen sink.

I’m also inspecting the plant the entire time. The best way to learn about what’s normal for your plants is to study/observe them when the opportunity arises.

Once the phal. is naked and the loose bits have been rinsed off the roots, I flip phals. upside down and get the bottom of the leaves really well, tops, all the nooks and crannies.

I want to wash off/flush out everywhere. I use very lightly warm water (imagine the temperature of a bath for a baby, after the baby has been bathed) to help dissolve any water soluble crud. Give the plant a few gentle shakes to dislodge the big water drops. Pot up, give it another overhead spray to remove bark debris. Then a nice long soak.

The last step is either a few spritzs of rubbing alcohol or some time in front of a fan (weather permitting) to speed drying of the leaves. Why wipe when you can spritz.

[rbarata]

Originally Posted by Bethy

I'm guessing by "spray down," you mean with water - a shower?

Very important!!
Don't try to remove chunks of old medium sticking on the roots. What comes out with the "shower" that's ok. Too many people damage roots by trying to remove sticking medium.