Should I go up a pot size?

[judith_arquette]

Went to Home Depot today and picked up 2 mini Phals and 2 reg size ones, all NoIds of course but I have a soft spot for them considering I'm kinda one myself

Amazingly enough they all had incredibly good looking roots and between the 4 plants I only cut about 3 roots and none of the cut roots were longer than 2". The problem (I wish they all had this "problem" lol) is that one of them has more roots than I've ever seen...I was barely able to get it out of the pot after soaking it for awhile and still am going to end up having to wait until tomorrow when my husband can help to get all the old bark out (I switched all my Phals to the clay balls, I am an admitted fusser and have had chronic over watering tendencies...they all seem much happier now) to repot because I just can't handle this monster alone. Should I go up a pot size? I've never had this problem before so please excuse if this question seems dumb... thanks all

[Laserbeak]

I think the conservative rule of thumb is not to repot unless the medium is rotten, the roots are rotting, or the plant has actually started growing out of the pot. Then you should clean the root system and repot in a pot big enough to accommodate one to two years of growth. Now there are always some exceptions, so you might have to look at it yourself and decide.

[JMNYC]

Wow! Could that Phal be any healthier than it is? NO! Brava!!!!!!

Hard to believe, given where you got it, but it seems it was growing in a clear pot? Given the green roots, meaning they had to be exposed to light.

Now, were I you, I would move it up to a larger pot....esp given the medium you use does not retain water too much. First, of course, get rid of all the existing medium and gently untangle the roots.
When I repot a Phal with long, healthy roots, after untangling them, I center it in the new pot and just rotate it so that the roots swirl into place as I lower it, before I start adding my medium.

While many people think we should use shallow pots for our orchids, my experience belies that, and the fab Phal you depict confirms that standard deep pots can be perfect.

I've never used your chosen medium....but, bet you have it down and it works perfectly for you.

We only have one kinda faux Home Depot here in Manhattan....not sure if offers orchids, but I now kinda wish we had a real one that did.

Congrats again, boy, you done GOOD!!!!!

[Laserbeak]

Originally Posted by JMNYC

We only have one kinda faux Home Depot here in Manhattan....not sure if offers orchids, but I now kinda wish we had a real one that did.

The one at 23rd Street is fairly good-sized, for a Manhattan version of a "big box" store, and last time I was there they had a bunch of Phals but they were NOIDs.

There is a mini one at like 59th St. but I've never been there.

[JMNYC]

Originally Posted by Laserbeak

The one at 23rd Street is fairly good-sized, for a Manhattan version of a "big box" store, and last time I was there they had a bunch of Phals but they were NOIDs.

There is a mini one at like 59th St. but I've never been there.

Thanks for the info!! I was once in the one on 23 St. to get handy supplies, drill bits, saw blades, a wood chisel... like that....and I was mortified that it did not resemble an authentic HD!

But, good to know about the Phals there; I care nothing about NOIDS re Phals, given all of mine are from the trash in this building. I have actually never BOUGHT Phal, I have no need to!

[Laserbeak]

Originally Posted by JMNYC

But, good to know about the Phals there; I care nothing about NOIDS re Phals, given all of mine are from the trash in this building. I have actually never BOUGHT Phal, I have no need to!

Well I get all of mine from my across the hall neighbor who loves to fill his apartment with blooming orchids but then wants to get rid of them when they go out of bloom or when he goes out of town (which is quite often, he's quite the jet-setter).

[JMNYC]

Originally Posted by Laserbeak

Well I get all of mine from my across the hall neighbor who loves to fill his apartment with blooming orchids but then wants to get rid of them when they go out of bloom or when he goes out of town (which is quite often, he's quite the jet-setter).

Ahah! A guy who might well live in MY building! Knows the price and cache of everything and the value of nothing; shallow, profligate.....will never bring all YOU do to any table!

YOU....don't need a Gulfstream to live joy!!! HE is the impoverished one! I hope he never moves out!!!

[Laserbeak]

Originally Posted by JMNYC

Ahah! A guy who might well live in MY building! Knows the price and cache of everything and the value of nothing; shallow, profligate.....will never bring all YOU do to any table!

YOU....don't need a Gulfstream to live joy!!! HE is the impoverished one! I hope he never moves out!!!

I didn't mean to criticize him, he's a very, very nice person. Just he's a designer and has to travel a lot to places around the world for long periods of time to work on them.

[JMNYC]

Originally Posted by Laserbeak

I didn't mean to criticize him, he's a very, very nice person. Just he's a designer and has to travel a lot to places around the world for long periods of time to work on them.

Uhuh.

Am sure he's absolutely charming and collegial. But he's also someone---and such people abound--- who buys living orchids and treats them as if they are cut flowers. It is what it is.

That it may pervade, that it may be a la mode....is moot.
Well, to me. Clearly, I am the pro active beneficiary of such beings too....but nobody of that ilk will ever be a kindred spirit of the sort who earns my respect or love.

---------- Post added at 05:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:09 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Laserbeak

I think the conservative rule of thumb is not to repot unless the medium is rotten, the roots are rotting, or the plant has actually started growing out of the pot. Then you should clean the root system and repot in a pot big enough to accommodate one to two years of growth. Now there are always some exceptions, so you might have to look at it yourself and decide.

For me, this is always specimen specific: what the plant is doing re its growth cycle, temps, seasons, etc., and most important, the state of the medium.

Even with terrestrials, I would never wait until a medium had broken down.

[judith_arquette]

I ended up having to stay in the hospital unexpectedly for several days...lucky for me and my orchids, I have an amazing husband who took over for me even though he was scared to death <3 He did an amazing job and they're all doing great! This one ended up staying bare root until today when I was discharged and the roots still look amazing! (sorry for bad lighting in first pic) I repotted it in the decorative outer pot it came in after drilling about a zillion holes in it for now but I'd really like to get it in a clear pot. My dilemma is that I have no clue how pots are measured and no clue how much bigger to go...it's pretty snug in the decorative pot it's in now....