Afraid to repot phalaenopsis after a bad experience

[jimkamal]

So at the moment, I am trying to recover 2 of my phals that have lost most of its roots after I repotted them. I posted a thread in a forum about it and now hoping that I will be able to save at least one of them, since the other one doesn't look promising. Anyway, I have 2 more phals that I got from an orchid show that are planted in complete sphagnum moss. They are both in bloom, and have new leaf growth as well. I don't water them often, only to water when I stick my finger into the moss and feel that it's dry, probably every 7-10 days. I want to repot it in complete bark that is sold at lowes from better gro that looks good. I know that they sell the phal blend as well but I think I just want to try complete bark. Any good advice for me? I want to wait until all the blooms fall off first before I attempt to repot it in a clear 4 inch orchid pot. It is currently in a regular green 4 inch pot. I am so afraid to repot now since my last experience!!

[Dante1709]

Try to gradually get it ready for the bark media..Fluff up the surface of the moss (without disturbing roots), maybe cut slits in the pot (if it's one of the cheap ones). Let it slowly approach the drier side and maybe stop fertilizing until it adjusts?

If any of the moss is salvageable, or if you have access to any clean moss/coconut husk, use that to retain more moisture within the bark. Soak the mix so that it absorbs the water well, for the first few waterings. If you are really worried, lower the lighting for the particular plant and cover it with a clear plastic bag (but allow some ventilation!).

[tarev]

I like using bark mix for my Phal media. Bark takes awhile to be truly moisture retentive, so make sure you have presoaked the media before you use it, since you are moving a Phal that has been living in sphagnum moss. I have used Better Gro, and I like their product.

I have learned to do dunk watering of the root zone with my Phals in new bark media when it is due for watering after initial repot. Somehow the roots like that ebb and flow. I use containers with side holes, to add air circulation and I usually run my ceiling fan too after watering or open windows if weather permits to allow outside air around my plant.

Hope it works for you. Good luck!

[jimkamal]

Is it true that you're not suppose to water the plant for 2 weeks after repotting? I feel bad and would want to water it on a regular schedule 4-7 days. The last time I withhold watering for 1 week, the roots schrivelled and now the plant is dying. I'm thinking of getting just full bark mix and I will mix it with a little chopped up sphagnum for moisture retention.

[tarev]

There is no hard set rules when to water or not..you have to check the media. As I have mentioned earlier, if it is a new repot, the bark media will not be immediately moisture retentive,so you will find you may have to water soon. Some gauges it by the weight of the container, if it starts feeling light, may need to water.

It will also be dependent on what your temperature is..my area is drier, our humidity lower, and we are in warmer temps now, so my media may dry faster than yours. You will eventually learn to adjust your watering regimen as the seasons change. When it is colder, the interval for watering for my Phals gets a bit longer too.

Cannot really just do a set schedule. It will vary. And I always do my watering early part of the day.

The watering frequencies are guidelines, you just have to see how it will go in your location.

And do not forget air circulation, oftentimes, this aspect is overlooked. My Phals love lots of air circulation, so I run the ceiling fan after watering. Phals like to approach some dryness before next watering.

A lot of things are used for media..bark, clay rocks, styro peanuts, sphagnum moss, rock wool, coco nuggets etc..It is a matter of preference.

[jimkamal]

Thank you so much! That's what I figured. I will be placing them in the new clear orchid pots that I got for them. They have slits on the side of the pot. I just don't want to water too much! But I'm still learning with my phals. I have no problem with my cattleyas or other orchids! Idk why phalaenopsis are so hard for me! They're suppose to be the easiest! Haha. Thank you so much for you guys help! I don't plan on repotting them anytime soon since they are still in bloom and the double spike is still in bud! So probably within the next few months. In the meantime, I will watch my watering regimen since they're currently in full sphagnum. How will I know when it is okay to repot? Do I wait until I see new leaf growth? Currently, they both have new leaves growth.

[AnonYMouse]

Withhold water for 2 weeks? There may be specific circumstances where that applies (I can't think of one) but makes no sense as a general rule. If the roots are a soggy, rotting mess, I would trim and let them dry a few hours to a day before potting.

As stated by others, new bark does not retain much water. You will need to increase watering frequency (for a few weeks-months) and decrease as the bark starts to absorb water. You will have to develop your own schedule based on your environment.

---------- Post added at 01:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:13 PM ----------

Just caught the last post.

Phals can be repotted almost anytime. If conditions warrant, I wouldn't wait.

You can keep it in sphag moss if you can manage your watering and the condition of the moss is still good. I personally hate the stuff but I do have some plants in them. I peek in at the roots and fluff the moss when I feel that its compressed. If the moss doesn't maintain fluff, its time to repot.

[RosieC]

Some people here do advise the 2 week wait to water after repotting. I've never done it, it might work but I've never found a need in my own repotting.

Changing from a more moist, to a dryer medium can be difficult for phals, and I think can often be the reason for unhappy plants after the repot. I am not sure that slowly moving them helps, as roots are tailored as they grow to the environment they are growing in. A good thing if you are making a significant medium change is to do it when brand new roots are just starting to grow, that way you will quickly get new ones suited to the new environment. They can be repotted anytime, however when making a significant change in the type of medium I find new growing roots certainly help get them settled.

[Cym Ladye]

An old rule of thumb is to repot an orchid when the new roots are actively forming. This is especially true for the Cattleya, Phalaeonopsis and Cymbidium alliances.

[AnonYMouse]

Originally Posted by RosieC

Some people here do advise the 2 week wait to water after repotting.

Do you know the rationale behind this practice?