My First SH Experience!

[Ray]

Personally, I'd recommend the following:

• pile a bit more medoim in/on those roots
• use bigger pots (I'd go with 6.5" for phals that size).
• do not repot a plant in bloom, unless it's going to die in its current medium.

[khozmo]

Ray thanks for you input.

Going to go and get some media out of the bucket right now and cover those roots up.

How do I know what size pot to use. These orchids were in tiny little two inch pots... I was actually worried I was over potting them but it sounds like I needed to go even bigger.

The only reason I re-potted the flowers while blooming was all the horror stories I had read in various threads about places like home depot and the mass produced flowers they sell. Also all the other beginners out there who had left their plants in sphag moss and and landed up in rescue situation.I did not want to land up with a rootless plant I could not save.

What are some of the side effects I could face now that I have repotted them while blooming. I assume the biggest one would be loosing the flowers?

Also do you know of any galleries on this forum or other threads that show good examples of bad and good roots. I get a little worried when I start hacking away at the roots that "I think" look bad.

If any root has any black on them is that a bad sign? Also what should the root look like at the point that it connects to the actual orchid? I am talking mostly about phals here. I have not even got onto the other plants that I am rescuing. I do not even know what type of orchids they are. When I get around to moving them into SH or if they survive in the wood chips I currently have them in I will post pictures to get some help identifying in them.

All the rescues I have right now are from my mother. She left all the flowerless orchids outside on the root system of a tree fern. They roots from the tree fern grew up into the sphag moss and choked most of the roots right off. Those that were not rotted away.

I have some of the pbulbs (I think they are a combination of cyn's and oncid's) and canes (one possible den) in some zip locks with moist paper towels. I will post those later on to see if I am doing it correctly.

Thanks again to anyone that responds. Ray I am sure you already know this but here goes again. You are a great source of information and give it very freely. Its always great to be on a forum where people are there to help and not berate you when you do something wrong.