The top roots that are a bit discolored are likely fine. They tend to do that. Maybe like a suntan or just colour from the bark etc. Most of mine are like that even tho the roots are healthy. If the plant will fit into the original pot that is great. Clear pots are nice because the roots photosynthesize and you can see what's going on. However, once you unpack it all, it may be a little hard to stuff it all back in there. But I often do manage it. So long as you are careful not to over-water your other one it should do fine and it does appear happy. It's just that the media often takes too long to dry out when there is too much of it in a large pot.
As for the fertilizer, it's hard to always know when the orchid will begin a spike. You want to use it before that as the phosphorus is what encourages the beginning of a spike. Although there are thoughts that it is just the decrease of nitrogen that actually does the trick. Usually a bloom booster has low nitrogen (first number) and very high phosphorus (second number). Either way, many hybrid Phals get 4 to 6 weeks of cool temps in the fall (maybe 60F) and very soon after, spikes appear and take part of the winter to develop. So I would use it in late summer. Often when you buy a new Phal, the greenhouse it came from has forced it to bloom out of its season so it could take a little longer to get back to its regular schedule.
|
Threaded Mode
