New to hydroton. What happens when...

[greenpassion]

I am totally new to using hydroton as a potting medium. I just bought my first masdevallia, (it hasn't come in the mail yet) and through reading a series of posts about these orchids, I came upon the use of hydroton pellets, in glass bowls with moss. Anyway, I just read on this forum something like "If you repot your orchid before it's ready to be repotted, it'll likely die" Is this true? I thought I'd be able to put the new masdevallia as well as my phals and oncidiums into the hydroton without incident. Currently my phals are in ceramic pots, without a net pot or slotted pot-just the bark in ceramic. Can I change to hydroton and moss ? I'd lilke to change my phals into clear slotted pots with the hydroton because I think it may be better for them, and I'll be able to keep better track of the roots they put out.

[Bud]

It will not die. But you better wait till the plant is growing new roots...so that the stress of being repotted is not too much...I repotted phals while in bloom...as long as you dont disturb the roots too much... really clean the roots and the old media as much as possible must be cleaned off...

[greenpassion]

Thank you Bud. I can't tell if my phals are growing new roots without taking them out of the ceramic pots to check. Same with the oncidiums. I would imagine that the new masdie coming to me has been repotted and will be ok for a time. Will checking the phals and onci's be too disturbing for them?

[Bud]

Oh I thought it was the masdie...okies, wait till the masdie have aclimatized to your environment and it will grow roots, then you can repot it on hydroton...but the oncs and phals can be repotted whenever you like...they are hardy plants and tenacious...just be gentle.

[camille1585]

I think what you read about them dying is when hydroton is used for S/H. If there are no new roots when going to S/H, then yes, the plant likely will die. But for simple repotting, new root growth doesn't matter as much for many orchids. I think you can go ahead and switch them over to hydroton if you want, they likely won't even notice it!