What size pot?

[larrylwill]

This cat just finished blooming, I'm re potting it and the roots are more than 6" long. What size pot is recommended?

[tucker85]

You don't want to overpot orchids. Keep the pot as small as practical. With Cattleyas it's usually suggested that you leave just enough room for about two new pseudo-bulbs to grow on each lead.

[larrylwill]

So do I just stuff the roots inside a 4" pot?
I have phals growing and blooming in 7" pots.

[dounoharm]

i think a 5" pot will be fine, you might trim the roots on the older growths some....6" pot might be ok too...just leave enough room in the pot for a couple years growths...good luck!

[tucker85]

There are general guidelines for pot size. For phals it's recommended to use the smallest pot that the roots can comfortably fit in. For cattleyas it's to use the smallest pot that will accommodate two or three new pseudobulbs. But these are just rules of thumb. If you can't get all the cattleyas roots into a pot that allows for a couple new growths then move to a slightly larger pot that will accommodate the roots and give a little room for growth. Also, if that's a fast growing orchid, you can take that into account and use a slightly larger pot. It's just that you'll have a better chance of succeeding if you use a pot that is a reasonable size without too much empty space in it.