Are pots with holes better for phals?
 

Hi guys,

I just purchased my first orchid and it came in a ceramic pot that doesn't have holes. I see that alot of the pots sold online specifically for orchids has holes. I assume the holes help air transfer to the roots.

Given that, should I be using a different type of pot?

Yes! Those store pots usually have a clear plastic liner where the plant is potted. The clear ones are fine, the ceramic (with no holes) not good. The stores use these to capture drainage. I would opt for either a decorative ceramic with holes in the side for air or leave it in the clear plastic liner and set that on a saucer. The advantage of the clear insert is you can monitor the moisture in the pot.

Thank you Ross.

I also noticed that my clear plastic liner has no slits in it like the ones sold on repotme.com

I was thinking of purchasing some MSU fertilizer and some new plastic liners w/ slits for better drainage and air flow. If you have any recommendations on places to purchase online, I'd love to hear it. Currently, I'm thinking of getting some clear liners, MSU fertilizer, and maybe a ceramic pot. Thanks again!

Slotted pots are #1, but the pot it came in would be OK also. I left mine in that one. I think if you look at bottom you'll see holes all around the edge of bottom. That's pretty good drainage. Before you take to office repot to fresh large chunk medium. You can use coconut husk, fir bark, whatever you can get your hands on. As for MSU mix, if you plan to use the office water to make up your mix, be sure it has been going through a softener and be sure to order the MSU for domestic water supplies - not RO mix. There are very few domestic water supplies based on RO processes, but lots of offices and homes have water softeners which leave a salt (sodium) residue bad for plants.

Ross, don't you mean water that has not gone through a softener? ;) I thought it was better to make this clear to avoid confusion!

Sorry, yes. Steve I meant not softened water. Sorry for the typo. :blushing:

Softened water is bad, bad bad for plants. . .RO is good! Might check to see if you have a Culligan water or some such at work. That's what I use.

Hello there. I love repotme.com and I buy most if not all of my supplies from them. However, I have to tell you that their ceramic pots, while beautiful, are very pricey. You can get some at thepotscompany.com. It's a wholesale seller with a minimum order, but if you are planning on buying more than a couple of orchids, it's worth it. I think the minimum order is 150.00, which would be about what you would end up spending at repotme.com for a a couple of their orchid pots plus the shipping. I am lucky enough that I can buy single pots for 12.00 each here at the orchid nurseries.

Good luck.

Most orchids drown with too much water. Regardless of the genus, orchids should be well-drained. Even those grown semi- or hydroponically need aeration around the roots.

Holes are good, they increase air circulation which orchids love.

However if your area is dry, you're better off using pots without holes as the medium dries up quickly with the presence of holes.

Most orchids are epiphytes or lithophytes, growing on trees or rocks. Teretes and semi teretes are not what I'd consider 'dirt' plants. I've killed more plants by drowning them - a simple way to avoid overwatering is that the pots all have drainage holes. If you area is dry and you need to retain moisture, use plastic pots with holes instead of (unglazed) clay pots.

Genera like Disa and some phrags that appear to be growing in water aren't really submerged. Rather they are in a spongy material that is naturally wet by the rise and fall of a stream, etc.

Unless you're growing hydroponically, I'd be hesitant about recommending holeless pots.

Steve, Did you mean no drainage hole at all, or just no slits in the sides like "orchid" pots? You can use a regular ceramic pot with a hole at the bottom even if it doesn't have slits. But ALL of your pots need drainage.

First Ray's (check the vendor feedback forum) has several sizes of clear plastic pots with slits. They are a good shape and have more holes than any pot I've seen. While you're ordering form Ray, pick up a semi-hydroponic kit and a few plants.:evil: