Improvising Orchid pots with deli containers

[HiOrcDen]

So I need to repot several Orchids today. I don't have much time, and do not want to wait for them to arrive from Amazon.

So I'm going to use deli containers. I have two sizes/shapes, for which I will attach pics.

I am wondering, for the taller one, are the dimensions too tall and narrow? If they are, what proportion of the height should I cut off? Or alternatively, could I just put a layer of lava rock/gravel/pumice (if so which would be best) at the bottom, instead of cutting the top? Which would be better.

And as for the shorter deli container, which has the same width, would this work better for a 'creeping', wide spreading plant? (that's my understanding)

And similarly, could I maybe use the taller container unmodified with a narrow, tall growing Orchid?

I should add the containers are more cylindrical / less conical than in the pic!

[Optimist]

I use tall ones like that for semi-hydroponics, and paphiopedilums. I think nearly any orchid would go in one of those except for a miniature.

[Roberta]

What kind of orchids are you potting? The tall container is great for those with long roots, such as Cymbidiums. In fact the tall Asian pots are ideal, designed for Cyms. The shorter pot is excellent for those that tend to spread out - you get surface area without increasing volume in the middle. This is the concept behind bulb pans. So just as there is no "one side fits all" for medium, there isn't "one size fits all" for pots. Both need to be selected with the growth habit (and watering needs) of the particular plant.

[HiOrcDen]

Originally Posted by Roberta

What kind of orchids are you potting? The tall container is great for those with long roots, such as Cymbidiums. In fact the tall Asian pots are ideal, designed for Cyms. The shorter pot is excellent for those that tend to spread out - you get surface area without increasing volume in the middle. This is the concept behind bulb pans. So just as there is no "one side fits all" for medium, there isn't "one size fits all" for pots. Both need to be selected with the growth habit (and watering needs) of the particular plant.

Well the first one I need to repot is my coconut orchid (Maxillaria Tennuifolia), as it's starting to decline quick, mix broken down. Should I use one of these, or a more standard flower pot (still slightly taller or wider?)

[Roberta]

Max tenuifolia I'd put in the shorter, wider container. It tends to want to ramble, has short roots.

Make sure that you poke some drainage holes. (You can burn holes with a hot screwdriver or any metal object of the right size that you can heat with your torch)

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Consider getting a Dreml tool (hand-held small electric drill) and a carborundum burr for making holes. Wear eye protection.

In a pinch you can use anything for a container. You'll need to adjust watering.

[HiOrcDen]

Originally Posted by Roberta

What kind of orchids are you potting? The tall container is great for those with long roots, such as Cymbidiums. In fact the tall Asian pots are ideal, designed for Cyms. The shorter pot is excellent for those that tend to spread out - you get surface area without increasing volume in the middle. This is the concept behind bulb pans. So just as there is no "one side fits all" for medium, there isn't "one size fits all" for pots. Both need to be selected with the growth habit (and watering needs) of the particular plant.

Thank you agin... can you discuss a bit, exactly what you employ a bulb pan for? I get some sense from searching it, though I'd like to have a bit more detailed idea...

[Ray]

Orchids have a wide variety of growth habits. Some stay in tight clumps and grow roots deep, vertically. Others spread them broadly. Some plant are “climbers” that grow vertically on tree trunks , making pot culture a pain, while others prefer horizontal branches. Plus there are some - notably some paphs - that are stoloniferous, forming broadly-spaced colonies.

Again - you need to weigh container choice with potting media choice to fit with your conditions and habits, but broad, shallow containers like bulb pans or even nursery trays can be great for the “spreaders”.

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It depends also on your ambient conditions, and how much time you have to water. With the same potting mix, relatively shallower containers dry out more rapidly than relatively deeper containers, because the distance to the atmosphere is less. Clay dries faster than similarly shaped plastic or glazed ceramic containers because the clay is permeable to water and the others aren't.

Warmer and less humid conditions lead to medium drying faster and the plant using more water. Deeper pots or non-permeable pots may permit less frequent watering. Under these conditions growers might have trouble giving enough water to plants in very permeable clay pots, or pots with lots of holes. Most homes have fairly low humidity.

In high-humidity climates more open or shallower pots may help prevent medium staying wet for too long.

Then the grower's watering habits need to be considered. Some people are too busy or forgetful to water at the right time. Others are compelled to drench plants frequently even knowing it's not a good idea. Pot choice helps moderate this problem.

[Roberta]

The concept of favoring short, wide pots for the plants that tend to spread out is that you can get more surface area without adding a lot to the volume. What you want to avoid is a big wet, airless lump in the middle of the pot, which you'll get if you go to a pot that is both wide and deep. A trick, if you can't get the short-form pot, is to invert a small pot or plastic basket in the middle, forming an air pocket when you fill in with bark. Just another way of achieving the goal of a pot big enough for the plant to grow but with good air circulation throughout.