To repot of not to repot...that is my question...

[topiarybud]

Originally Posted by shushu45

So I came up with a plan if its a bad idea to repot it.
Water it about once a month or until it is dried all the way and spray the underside with a very very week solution of orchid fertilizer till watering.
Is it a good plan??

The plant looks healthy and the sphagnum moss looks still fresh. It’s not the first priority to consider about re-potting it or not. Watering management, air circulation, light and temperature are more important than re-potting. If you damage the roots during re-potting, you will probably lose the flowers and buds.
There is no right answer for how long to water it. It depends on when your media drying out. Putting a skewer in the media as Sonya mentioned is a good way to determine when to water it.

Originally Posted by Masdyman

I do find it strange when the professionals use moss on a big scale and then we start panicking wanting to remove it. There is nothing wrong with quality moss. I have a Phal tetrapis C1 that I was going to remove from this moss, I am glad I didn't now because it is thriving.

I found the interesting phenomenon on this forum too. Sphagnum moss seems guilty here and re-potting is the only way out for phals. Anyway, any way which can make phals happy is a good way.

[james mickelso]

The large growers use moss because it is less expensive to use when these plants are seedlings and the plants are secure planted in it. The moss also has an advantage of needing less water and the moss holds the nutrients longer to be available to the plant. I use very little moss but when I do the reason is it holds the moisture longer giving the plant a boost. If I have a rescue that has few leaves but good growth buds I will plant in moss to keep moisture around the growth buds to coax them along. Phals with little root mass are good candidates for moss. But the caveat is the moss needs to be "placed" around the roots. Not packed. Packing the moss into the voids invites fungus because it stays wet for too long.

[shushu45]

OK today I repotted the beautiful monster in orchid bark. It took me a hour to gently and slowly remove the moss and repot it in bark. I gently put in the new bark trying not to pack it in tight.

---------- Post added at 10:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:55 PM ----------

Crossing my fingers and hoping I did the right thing.

[Carpe Diem]

Almost all of my plants were bought in bud/bloom. Phals. I repot immediately, because moss and I don't get along, which results in orchid death. None of my Phals. were pouting or dropping buds/flowers after repot. Maybe I'm just lucky. I think your "monster" will be just fine.

[Joseia]

Wow, that really is a monster. The close-up shot of the base reminds of the CGI giant beanstalk in the film Jack the Giant Slayer!

[shushu45]

Originally Posted by Joseia

Wow, that really is a monster. The close-up shot of the base reminds of the CGI giant beanstalk in the film Jack the Giant Slayer!

I though so too when I say it at home depot.

[james mickelso]

Just be mindful of your watering schedule. Not too much. Don't worry about feeding it for a month or so. Keep it warm and give it medium light levels.

[shushu45]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

Just be mindful of your watering schedule. Not too much. Don't worry about feeding it for a month or so. Keep it warm and give it medium light levels.

Will do.

Thank you all for reading and replying.

[roseycup]

Hi all, I'm new to the Orchid world and was wondering whether people can give me some advise. Please see picture.
This is the second orchid I've bought now, but this will be mother's day present for my mum. I'm just wondering whether I need to repot this as the roots are almost filling this 12cm / 4.7 inch pot. If I do what size would you recommend? The size of the phal is similar to Shushu45's orchid.

[james mickelso]

I would leave it alone. It looks like it is very healthy. Get a decorative pot to put this in. Preferably one with lots of holes so this can breathe in the plastic.