When to repot this Phrag?

[jeremyinsf]

Hello,

Any suggestions on when and how to repot this Phrag Caudatum? It is in a 4" pot, and very root bound, and I understand Phrag's grow a lot of roots very fast. When I bought the plant, I was told 'you will need to repot it before too long'.

There are two mature spikes on the plant and as I went to take this picture, I saw a 3rd has just started to emerge. There are 9 fans total, two of which are smaller, new growths from the last couple months. I don't want to disturb it if it doesn't need it, but also realize it may take quite a while until it is out of spike. I don't have enough experience with Phrag's to know when is best and what impact the repot will do to the current spikes and flowers. Would putting it into a 6" pot give it too much room?

Any other thoughts / suggestions?

Thanks all.

[WhiteRabbit]

[euplusia]

Hi Jeremy. That's a fantastic strong plant ! Congratulations.
I would repot when flowers have finished. Phrags dont have a decided growth cycle. So it depends more upon climatic conditions. Early springtime is good. Plants should be established before the hottest days of the year set in. Otherwise early autumn is okay.
You can pull off parts of the old medium without disturbing the rootball too much.

[Bud]

I will not worry about repotting this yet. It seems just right with the base of the plant an inch to the rim of the pot and the roots are not yet coming out of the slits=there are no aerial roots coming out of the pot.
Maybe in a year unless the media mix is decomposing into soil like particles.

[Joanie]

Roots grow down to the water. I have never seen aerial roots on a phrag.