re-potting orchid seedlings
 

hi guys, and girls,

i'd like to introduce myself as huge orchid admirer in Sydney NSW. this is my first time growing these lovely plants.

I've had some mixed luck in the past with orchids, and am currently nursing some mystery bulbs in my garden.

In the meanwhile, I've also bought myself some lovely healthy babies from the nursery which are in 4cm wide little pots. In the attachment you can see 1 Vanda seedling which is a cross, as well as a Brassia verucossa.

I seem to be getting mixed opinions on repotting seedlings, and would love to start a thread on this topic to get your thoughts. Some say you should leave them for a year before touching them, but my insticts are to re-pot them. They're currently sitting in sphagnum moss in the pots.

I've tried searching for this topic before posting, but didnt seem to find anything, please let me know if I should join another thread discussing this already!

Looking forward to your replies!

D.

Personally, I'd repot them, the brassia into a larger pot, and the vanda into about the same sized basket, and place that inside of another, slightly larger pot.

Assuming you're considering a more open medium that the sphagnum, you'll want to water them pretty frequently, as their current roots have grown in the very moist moss.

repotting seedlings
 

Hi Ray, thank you for the quick response! :)
That's interesting you mention baskets, I've never considered them before. vanda roots prefer more air im assuming?

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Vandas often grow with all their roots hanging in the air. They require lots of water, but their roots cannot stay wet for long. People who grow them bare-root water them at least once a day.

Other people grow them in baskets with very large chunks of medium. Sometimes such plants don't need watering every day. The roots eventually grow through the baskets and dangle.

Other people grow them in pots with large chunks of medium, allowing the roots to stay in the container for a while. Such plants also need watering less often than daily.

Seedlings are at high risk of drying out, but their roots don't like being wet very long. However you grow them needs to take this into account.

Thank you estación that's really good to know. I am going to re-pot them tomorrow and we'll see how I go :) hope my baby will survive.

What I like most about the basket-in-a-pot setup is the fact that you can soak the living hell out of it, but it drains rapidly, while still maintaining a moist environment around the roots.

Very small seedlings differ from adult plants, in that they need:
Higher temperatures
Lower light (= 60-80% shade).
High humidity
NEVER to dry out

Gradually move from these conditions, towards the conditions the adult plant requires by the time seedling is half way to blooming size.

The Brassia maybe half way along that progession. Having said that, we do not allow the adult Brassias to dry out.

The Vanda is difficult to evaluate, as we don't know whether it is a mini, a compact or a full size Vanda hybrid. You can grow it:
A. In nothing, and water twice a day
B. In coarse mix, and water every other day
C. In spagnum/bark mix, and water when still moist. For babies this is still every 2-3 days, for adults every 3-6 days depending upon plant size & season.

I grow 3-400 Vandas in a greenhouse, and I use 'C'.

Wow, the wealth of knowledge on this board is awesome.

Thanks Kim, when you say half way to blooming what kind of hight am I looking for?

And fyi my Vanda cross is a:
Ascda. Pakchong Gold x V. sanderiana

Sorry guys for leaving out that info before, I didn't want to be too long winded :P

Your Brassia is halfway to the size where I would give it adult treatment. Adult plants get 35-40% shade, but at this stage you should give it light like a Paphiopedilum (50-60% shade).

Your Vanda is a full size cross, so it is a very young seedling. You are OK giving it the same light as the Brassia, and it is probably 2-3 years away from tolerating full sun. With V sanderiana as one of the parents, it will probably be a relatively slow grower.

In my conditions, I would put the Vanda into a 7-8 cm net pot, with a mix of 75% spaghnum and 25% bark. That will keep roots moist and still allow some air circulation.

Thanks Kim again, that was very helpful. Hope all goes well with my babies :)

very good advice from above members....I am thinking you probably have already taken care of the lovely seedling/baby plants!
one thing I would like to mention after looking at your photos....the seedling pots are sitting flat on an impervious glass jar...hence they cannot breath from the bottom....I always use my leftover corks to drop on the bottom of whatever container I put the little babies in, that ensures that there is complete exchange of air from the bottom.....orchids do not like sitting in one drop of water, lol...the brassia will do fine with some small gravels to prevent sitting on a glass bottom.....my vandas are in baskets within baskets, and separated by corks...and yes, I love my wine and champagne! they are in as small a basket to stabilize them with large chunks of charcoal and bark, placed inside the larger basket with corks surrounding it to hold it still, and hung in the top of the greenhouse right near my humidifying machine...they stay in those baskets forever! gl

Hi Dounoharm, thank you for the advise. Both my little babies are on small gravel to breathe right now :) the only thing that I need is patience to see them grow. Have a lovely day.