Repotting My Phalaenopsis

[tom_e_boi]

Hi there, new to the forum and just wanted to post my recommendations for repotting. Well, at least when it comes to Phalaenopsis orchids. I've grown them for about ten years now and have a little bit of experience. Well, after some down time, my greenthumb (which I inherited from my grandmother) has been itching to grow them again. Luckily, a local garden center just received a fresh shipment of them, and they were in 4" clear pots. So they were very healthy and had vigorous root growth. Normally, I wouldn't repot them while they're still in bloom, but the plants were top heavy and kept wanting to tip over, which damaged a couple blooms on one of them.

So I searched online and came across these wonderfully designed orchid pots called "Oxygen Core Dual" and are basically clear outer pots with a inner net pot. I purchased two 5.5" pots to transplant them into. The only issue that I had with the pots, when they arrived, was that the slots in the inner net pots were too narrow. Well, they were wide enough for new roots to grow through, but not wide enough to thread the current roots though. The roots were simply too long and healthy for me to leave them bound up in the smaller net pots, where they would receive less lighting, and I wanted them to take full advantage of the brilliant designing of these great pots. As you can see in the pics I attached, how the pots looked beforehand, and then after I altered them. I simply widened the spacing in the net pots by cutting away every other vertical slot, and then alternating the cuts on every horizontal row, which actually turned out just right. After carefully removing the orchids from their old pots, I noticed the roots were very long and healthy. Almost a foot long and with no rotted roots whatsoever.

It took quite a bit of time and patience, but I eventually managed to thread the roots though the openings of the net pots and I placed some sphagnum moss on the bottom first, to give them something to rest on. Eventually, I filled in the spacing in between the sections of the roots that still remained inside the net pots. Then I took them and placed them carefully inside the clear outer pots, making sure the roots that were hanging out were gently placed where they needed to be. I placed the orchids lower in the net pots, so that any future new root growth would grow through the moss and wrap around with the other roots.

Afterwards, I gave them a good watering using the rainwater I collect in my backyard (after letting it warm to room temperature, of course). My biggest concern was putting the Phals thru the stress of repotting while still in bloom. But after almost a week now, they're still doing healthy and show absolutely no signs of any stress at all. In fact, they seem to love their new home, lol. I look forward now, to a great year of orchid growing, With both Spring & Summer right around the corner.

Anyways, I just thought I'd share my story with everybody. Plus, if you plan on doing any Phal repotting, I highly recommend these Oxygen Core Dual pots. The design gives the roots a humid environment, while giving them access to fresh air. I guarantee you that you will love these pots, almost as much as your Phals will, HaHa!

The 1st pic is how the pots originally look.
The 2nd is after I altered the spacing of the net pot.
The 3rd is after planting.