What size pots to try for S/H?

[OrchidNewB]

Hello everyone. I've been reading lots of your posts and checking out Ray's site for info on S/H. Thinking I'd like to try it out with a few plants that I notoriously overwater and usually end up killing (dens mostly). I have a few survivors hanging on with great foliage, though have never gotten them to rebloom after purchase.

I would like to order some beginning supplies, but how do you know what size pots to order? Do dens like to be kept snug in S/H like they do in regular pots? Others I've got and would maybe try are Onc Twinkle, Max Ten, a few phals (one is huge and doing pretty well, several others are currently in ICU aka Sphag N Bag for you guessed it... overwatering) and two catts that look really good.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.
Jen

[Ray]

First see which plant or plants are currently in active growth. For the sympodial plants, that means forming new pseudobulbs and their accompanying roots.

Then, having selected one or two to experiment with, consider what size pot they are in now, and add about an inch or two to the diameter.

[OrchidNewB]

Thanks Ray! Here's what I've got going on in the windowsill...
New growth on:
Maxillaria tenuifolia 5" pot
Oncidium Twinkle 3" pot
Dendrobium NOID 4"

About to bloom (so new roots should come after, right?):
Pot Little Toshie 4" pot but roomy

Doing what seems like nothing:
Phal NOID 6" and cramped
Dens NOIDs 2 x 4" pots, 1 x 6" but roomy
Cat Hawaiian Charm 5" and roomy

ICU patients in Sphag N Bag:
Phal NOID with one beautiful root growing nicely
Dens NOID keiki with one miniroot
Phal NOID with 4 stubby roots that are green but not growing so far.

I'm most confident of trying the dens in S/H since I won't feel as bad if they don't make it... I've half-killed them already overwatering and leaving them in bad medium. One I brought home from the store looking beautiful in bloom, only to find on repotting a week later that 2 snails were in the center eating all the roots. There was nothing left but a keiki I am trying to save.

Would it be safe to try the max, twinkle, and Little Toshie in S/H since those have new growth? I don't want to mess up what's working so far, but the twinkle really needs repotted. It's pushing itself out of the pot.

Thanks for enduring my rambling and lending more advice. I appreciate all the help.
Jen

[Ray]

I would do the following:

New growth on:
Maxillaria tenuifolia 5" pot 6.5"
Oncidium Twinkle 3" pot 3.5"
Dendrobium NOID 4" 4.5"

About to bloom (so new roots should come after, right? Wait until it happens):
Pot Little Toshie 4" pot but roomy 4.5"

Doing what seems like nothing:
Phal NOID 6" and cramped 8"

Do not repot these until new growth begins
Dens NOIDs 2 x 4" pots, 1 x 6" but roomy 2@4.5", mayve 4.5" or 5.5" pot for the other
Cat Hawaiian Charm 5" and roomy 5.5"