Recognizing the right time to repot

[Emma]

I'm just beginning with orchids and need a little advice. I want to put some phals in semi-hydro and I know there should be new growth. I have two that have green tipped roots showing - they seem to be growing -- but both are blooming. Can I pot them in semi-hydro while they are blooming since they have green roots, or should I wait until blooming is over? Thanks for your help.

[philoserenus]

a good question, something that i would be looking forward to an answer for too

[gmdiaz]

I think you should wait until the blooming has finished. Blooming takes a lot of energy. And being repotted is stressful for the plant. It's hard for them to do both at the same time.

It make sense to me, to wait until the orchid has bloomed, wait until after it has had a time to rest after blooming and you begin to see foliage & or root growth. Then when you transplant it, it has its best strength available to make the adjustment.

And I wonder if transplanting in the clay pellets is less stressful or about the same as transplanting in regular orchid mixes? Seems like it would be at least a little less of a drastic change.

I am curious to hear what the other's think & have experienced. Ray, this sounds like your department.

[Ray]

A plant will lose its blooms upon repotting if it is overly stressed.

The stress associated with repotting is related to two things:

1. How much damage was done to the root system in the process (immediate- or short-term stress).
2. How similar or different the root environments are, before and after repotting (longer-term stress).

If you can unpot the plant, clean off the old medium, and repot with little disturbance of the root system, there will be little immediate stress, and the plant should carry on as if nothing happened.

The closer the moisture-holding and air flow conditions between the old medium and the new, the less longer-term stress there will be. An improvement in those conditions is also a reduction of stress. Don't forget that roots grow adapted to the conditions they are in. If the before- and after conditions are drastically different, the existing roots may not work as well, which is a stress on the plant.

On the other hand, aerial roots with those nice, fresh, growing tips will often dig down into the new medium and take over, fully supporting the plant while the older roots are supplanted by new ones branching from the old.

[quiltergal]

To tag onto what Ray said. When the plant is finished blooming cut the spike off. In all of my phals this is the biggest thing that has promoted new leaf and root growth. If you leave the spike on it may try and rebloom on the old spike at the expense of new root and leaf growth. HTH

[Emma]

Thanks everyone. I'll wait until blooming ends. I want the blooms to last as long as possible.

[jrhengst]

I have repotted Phals into semi in every stage and have never lost flowers or anything else. In the last week I have repottted one with buds one with the a spike just starting and one in full bloom. I repot Phals whenever I get them and they do great

[Palito]

one grower i know -a SH zealot- told me when she buys a new phal grown in promix or spagh she repots to SH regardless of season and they do fine. Phals that are grown in bark mixes take a hit so she prefers to wait until spring if it's too late in the season.

[Lindafvb]

I also follow Palito's advice. But depending on the bark mix's condition, I may have to transplant quickly. Once transplanted, I soak the phals. in their new containers every week and do not place as much liquid fertilizer mix in the saucer for wicking. I find it takes a month for the wicking action to give enough water to the roots. So slowly I add more liquid until I am comfortable that the pellets are up to speed and the roots have adjusted. I have transplanted over 45 phals. so far so good!

[Ray]

Linda,

If your medium doesn't wick well right from the start, you're not soaking them sufficiently before using them.

Read this: Presoaking Media