Phal abit wobbly in pot after repotting

[Asher]

Hi guys my aunt gave me her old phal at the weekend as she is having no luck with it at all. I decided to repot it today as she said it hadnt been done in years (very very bad) when i took it out of the pot it had healthy roots nearer the top of the plant which were quite short but very thick, most of the longer roots were rotted so i had to take them off. Now that it is repotted i've noticed that although the pot doesnt fall off when i pick it up by the leaves it is still quite wobbly at the top because of the shorter roots.

Is this a major problem should i worry and try again ? Thanks guys

[Kelo]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. You could pack some more potting medium in there and make it tight. Also, spray the roots that are not in the medium with water every day and they'll grow like crazy. Make sure the exposed roots are thoroughly wetted and the vellum goes dark with moisture; not just a quick spray.

[Jennyfleur]

I agree with Kelo, it shouldn't be a problem. Sometimes, when you repot, the nature of the roots means that it will be a bit lose until they start growing again. However, the one important thing to keep in mind is the size of the pot - you say that the healthy roots at the top are short. Therefore, if it's in a pot that's quite big, either change to a smaller pot which will *only just* accomodate the roots, or be very cautious when you water so that the medium still has a chance to dry out. Does that make sense?

[Kelo]

Yep, I agree with Jenny. I forgot to mention the pot size. The aerial roots will, most likely, be the main source of water uptake so keep spraying them - as often as possible - I spray mine about four times from 9am - 3pm and soak them thoroughly. My system is working well for me. Keep us posted!

[Asher]

oh good thats a relief i was worried it might kill them if they didnt take to the media properly. Yeah i know what you mean Jenny... its hards to get the right mix because the long roots that were left were quite compact in the orginal pot its just the shorter ones i'm worried about. Also i live in the UK so it always takes awhile for my pot to dry out before waterings so i'm used to waiting to water. Thanks for the help

[Orchidreamer]

Sometimes I use rubber bands to secure the plant, since pot clips don't really work for phals. I just put two rubber bands criss-crossing each other with the phal in between. If you leave it be, it'll be OK too.

[Asher]

Oh no they arent ariel roots Kelo they are in the media they're just short probably because they are newish i assume. Is it normal for phals to have no ariel roots at all ?

Thanks for the tip i would never have thought about rubber bands... i'm tempted to just leave it alone now though i'm scared to over fuss incase i cause more damage.

[jrodpad]

It's perfectly normal not to have aerial roots on a phal - it depends on the type of phal, the humidity of the growing area, etc. If the roots are short that's not really a problem (especially given the trimming you've just done), what's more important are the tips of the roots that are left. Are there long green pointy tips or stubby white rounded tips? Long green and pointy means active growth and is a general sign of phal health irrespective of root length. If the phal is wobbly in the pot, I often stick two long bamboo skewers on either side of the center of the leaves to sort of wedge the orchid in between the skewers (being careful not to pierce the roots). The skewers serve two purposes, first they hold the phal in place and give it a bit of stability so that it can set down some roots, and second they act as handy moisture meeters to help demonstrate the moisture level in the middle of the pot. Good luck!

- J

[Jennyfleur]

I have a couple of phals with no aerials and some with so many it causes thumb ache spraying them all the time! Some are just more prone to them than others I think. Go with your gut on it, if it's not too wobbly and it won't get disturbed too much while watering etc, leave it be and I'm sure the new root growth will help anchor it. If not, then you can always put a support in (I generally use a stake and a loop of embroidery thread) later if you like.

[Asher]

some of the tips are green and pointy and others are just rounded, it has also started to grow a new leaf which i take to be a good sign yea i think i'l just leave it be for now its not soooo wobbly that it doesnt stand up straight or fall over in the pot so i think it will anchor itself when the roots grow again thanks for the tips and advice everyone