bonsai pots for orchids - Orchid Board

catherinecarney · #1 06-20-2013, 08:48 PM

Hi gang--

Was repotting the houseplants for the summer last month and came across my stash of bonsai pots.....and they got me to thinking (yes, I DO think occasionally)--how well would they work for orchids??

Here's my thinking on this--orchids want air flow around the roots, and want to dry out relatively fast. We tend to pot them in relatively deep and narrow pots, which restricts airflow and slows drying. A shallower pot would seem (IMO) to allow a greater surface area which would allow more airflow and faster drying.

In addition, sympodial orchids (catts and such) seem to "creep" as the rhizome grows, often overgrowing the edges of the pot and requiring more frequent repotting. A shallower, wider pot would allow more room for the plant.

Finally, orchids in narrow pots tend to be tippy since the base is narrow relative to the height of the plant. A shallower, wider pot is inherently more stable.

So, long story short, I repotted some of my orchids into my bonsai stash--starting with my Bc. Maikai Mayumi (which had badly overgrown its pot and was cascading over the side) and my Den. kingianum (also in process of overgrowing its old pot). I also repotted an Enc. Reese Grazaffi (cordigera x Nursery Rhyme) since the root mass was huge....

I noticed several things right away after the repots. First, plants are far more attractive when out of bloom (amazing what a difference an attractive pot can make--my Den. kingianum reminds me of a dwarf bamboo) and they are certainly less likely to tip over. I am also noticing that the plants are sending out roots like crazy now that they are starting new growth--they have a wider area over which to spread their roots and they are taking advantage of it!

So, anyone else tried this? Any caveats I should be aware of?

Catherine

Call_Me_Bob · #2 06-20-2013, 10:02 PM

It's a good idea and many people do grow in bonsai pots, I have a few in bonsai pots! Obviously there are some drawbacks though, with a super shallow pot, it's sometimes difficult to get the plants to be secure in the pot, but if you can secure them you're fine.

Just a note about pot height vs. pot depth as far as drying times go. Now i don't know whether you are referring to clay pots of plastic pots, but if you ARE referring to clay pots, a taller skinnier pot will dry faster than a shorter wider pot, such as an azalea pot or bulb pot. The reason for this is clay's wicking abilities. In a taller narrower pot, the clay has more surface area to wick the moisture out. Just some food for thought...

Paul Mc · #3 06-20-2013, 10:11 PM

I grow a few in these as well! But I used glazed clay ones and they are in my terrarium that hangs around 70 to 80% RH as the orchids in them are very much humidity and moisture lovers.

catherinecarney · #4 06-20-2013, 10:26 PM

I hadn't thought of clay's ability to wick water in an unglazed pot. Thanks!

The bonsai pots I am using are all glazed ceramic, and if I understand correctly glazing reduces the pot's wicking/drying tendencies. None of my pots are shallower than about 1.5", and seem to be deep enough for the orchids to grab. I do have a few plastic/polymer bonsai pots, and I'm tempted to try them for phals or other orchids that want to stay a bit moister.

One other thing I noticed with the wider pots is that I can't crowd my orchids as closely together (which is probably good). So, better air flow and (hopefully) lower risk of pests/diseases spreading from plant to plant....

Catherine

Paul Mc · #5 06-20-2013, 10:42 PM

Indeed, clay wicks moisture. If you have any potted plants outside during summer in unglazed clay and others in glazed, you will see the difference in literally one day, lol... Good thing to note for future reference should you use unglazed clay orchid pots in the future as well!

Call_Me_Bob · #6 06-20-2013, 10:45 PM

I tend to look at glazed clay like I look at plastic, it just has more weight so it keeps top heavy plants grounded.

Paul Mc · #7 06-20-2013, 10:48 PM

LOL... Agreed "Bob"!

Leafmite · #8 06-20-2013, 11:52 PM

Sounds like a great way to grow orchids, actually. I have a few cattleyas in plastic vanda baskets and if I had the room, that would have been a nice route to take. Bonsai pots are much more attractive.

flexdc · #9 06-21-2013, 02:56 AM

I use bonsai pots too! One Cattleya in it, two den lindleyi in two small bonsai pots.
All of these orchids have creepy rhizomes.
Andrew

catherinecarney · #10 06-22-2013, 07:02 PM

So it looks like the "creeper" orchids are a good match for these broader pots--makes sense.

I just potted an Epi. into a taller bonsai pot with the hope that the pot will keep the top heavy epi. from tipping over...

Orchids have an undeserved, IMO, reputation for being "ugly" when out of bloom, and I'm noticing that my out of bloomers that are in bonsai pots are more attractive than the ones in "regular." So maybe it's not the plants but the pots we put them in that make people pass them by when they're without flowers....Since my indoor growing space is limited (isn't everyone's), I want to make sure that what I have in the house is as attractive as possible for as long as possible.

Catherine