Repo flowering phal.

[LizB88]

Hello everyone, I have 3 my flowering phal (they being in bloom for 2 months now). The problem I 'm noticing is that some of healthy roots are starting to die, I have lots of aerial roots and new roots growing. But in the last 2 weeks I have lost some very long and healthy roots that were in the medium. I have them all in clear plastic so I can see the roots. My question is should I take the chance of loosing more roots ( I think the medium is starting to decompose) or repot now.

In another note, if I could kick my self I would, one of the orchids was also sending a new flowering spike, giving me two spikes this season, I was putting on a supporting stick and heard a click...yup... I broke the new flower spike

[Lorraine]

Sorry to hear about the broken spike. I've done that myself. You might be lucky and the broken spike could re-spike. I have had that happen.

As far as repotting....I have repotted phals when the plant is in bloom. I gently take it out of the pot and rinse off the old medium & trim off the dead roots. I will then repot using the same size pot if it will fit back in and use new long fiber spag moss. I don't pack it in real tight but firmly enough to fill in the spaces. The moss is moistened before potting and put plant in a lower light area than I usually grow them. Water when almost dry. I would rather risk loosing a few blooms now rather than losing the whole phal later.

[LizB88]

Thanks Lorraine, I think I will do repott because like you said
[I would rather risk loosing a few blooms now rather than losing the whole phal later.]

[james mickelso]

Phals have no pbulbs in which to store starches/sugars and moisture so when the plant is in flower you sometimes lose roots. but the newer roots are there so it shouldn't be much of an issue. Is it in bark or moss? If in moss be very very careful when you pull out the old moss fibres. When I am repotting from moss it is the only time I thoroughly wet the medium before proceeding. I start at the center bottom and work out and up. There will be a very dense plug inside the root mass which is the original media it was planted in. Usually there is not any, or at least much root growth left in this plug but be careful anyway. I use tweezers for the job and take a lot of time and care. Most of the roots are growing around the outside of the pot but there are crossers so be careful. Not necessary to get it all out either. A little left here and there is not a concern. If you are careful and don't break too many of the existing roots you shouldn't lose any flowers.
I forgot to add that you can repot dry if you are careful. I use little manicure scissors to cut out stubborn long fibers that would pull on the roots. Otherwise I repot dry.

[Lorraine]

I agree with James. I forgot to add that when I re-pot the phals I put a few Styrofoam peanuts in the middle where the base of the plant plug originally was. It looks weird doing it but it works. That way air can still get to the roots and I have had less problems with the moss staying too wet-too long.

[LizB88]

Originally Posted by Lorraine

I agree with James. I forgot to add that when I re-pot the phals I put a few Styrofoam peanuts in the middle where the base of the plant plug originally was. It looks weird doing it but it works.

Originally Posted by james mickelso

Phals have no pbulbs in which to store starches/sugars and moisture so when the plant is in flower you sometimes lose roots. but the newer roots are there so it shouldn't be much of an issue. Is it in bark or moss? A little left here and there is not a concern. If you are careful and don't break too many of the existing roots you shouldn't lose any flowers.

Thank you Lorraine and James for your help on re-potting the flowering phel. Update, the plants were on moss that was retaining too much water, and the plastic containers had only one drained whole at the bottom. I did not loose blooms, however I did lose a lot of very healthy roots, while they were in the moss, and I have lost some roots after re-potting, what I hope is that I get new roots soon after the blooms fall off. I know that some root loose is expected after flowering, but my concern is that I lost new roots, they just dry out, I hope that by increasing the humidity of the air around them it will help keep the roots moist and not loose any more.
In another note: I got today two noids and one CLMC-YRL(SYGB)LXP. Sin Yuan golden Beauty color Mango Yellow Red Lip they were given to me by a florist bc one stem is bewildering and the other two she was going to trash. One of the noids has sings of developing a secondary spike, the other noid, I'll re-pot. Question is should I re-pot the one with the secondary spike or wait, to see if it develops, medium looks ok, there is some root rooting, and drying of the roots outside the medium, but again I think that is due to dry air. Pictures are attached.

[Lorraine]

I would for sure repot the one in the pot with the bark. It looks like it is breaking down to me and give it a healthy new start.

As far as the one maybe developing new spike...if it is in the pot with moss I would wait until it finishes blooming and then repot.

The thing about getting plants is that you really don't know how long then have been in that medium. When it's moss sometimes it is packed so tightly that it becomes difficult for the plant to either dry out properly not get enough water. Using the clear pots gives you a look to watch the roots develop. When they start growing around the inside and come out the drainage holes you an be sure they need a slightly bigger pot.

So now you get to decide which way to go You can even flip a coin ..Heads do 1 tails do both and wait and see.

[LizB88]

Lorraine I to you! Thank you for all your help

Originally Posted by Lorraine

I would for sure repot the one in the pot with the bark. It looks like it is breaking down to me and give it a healthy new start.

As far as the one maybe developing new spike...if it is in the pot with moss I would wait until it finishes blooming and then re-pot.

So now you get to decide which way to go You can even flip a coin ..Heads do 1 tails do both and wait and see.

The one in the clear plastic pot is bark/moss medium is in bloom, but I I'm thinking of re-poting, the third one I got the medium was old need it to be reported, which I did yesterday.
The one in the green plastic pot, medium looks o.k, not great, and it is out growing the pot and has a very long aerial root about 14 inc. and it is the one developing the secondary spike. I know I will have to keep out of the pot the one long root, its growing up and if I try to manipulate it into the pot I will probably brake it, and will have to be very careful not to brake any of the roots that are protruding from the holes on the pot. And like you said, I will wait to re-pot this one until it finishes with the secondary spike, if it grows and give me flowers, great, it not them I'll re-pot it.
It will give me courage to wait because, this is the first time reporting a large phal. Wish me luck!