Repotting Phrag. pearcei advice…?
 

I have a pearcei with one mature growth, with a VERY well growing new growth that is about 2.5” now, and growing like a weed. I can almost, almost, watch it jetting up daily. Planted in Kiwi bark/perlite, and it sits in a saucer of water. I knew that pearcei was a vigorous/hardy Phrag—and this guy has proven that to a T. It’s my first Phrag.

I’m getting some Rands Aircone pots tomorrow, and plan on re-potting some Paphs. Was wondering if this is a good time to re-pot the pearcei? It will be in the same Kiwi/perlite medium, maybe even using some of the current medium as it’s in decent shape (yay, Kiwi!)

The best time to repot any plant is just as new roots are emerging from the base of the plant, so the roots will be able to “tailor” themselves to the new conditions.

If the current mix has not had a chance to decompose and compact too much, going to a fresh version of that shouldn’t be too much of a shock.

As Ray indicates, there's an optimum timing for repotting everything. With most phrags and paphs I repot anytime with the exception of when in bloom and they never skip a beat. Especially once they gain size and are becoming a colony. My :twocents:

Had the unpleasant experience of repotting a colonized longifolium_x dalessandroii while in spike/bloom last year that got knocked off the table by an exuberant dog. It was in glass pot that didn't survive the fall, along with one of the spikes. To my delight, the other three spikes carried on blooming despite the trip and fall. :roll:

Good to hear—that they are as not really affected by repotting, same as Paphs. I’ve read that among the generic, homogenized care info on the Net, but I wanted to check in with real world growers.

I know with other orchids—Catts, Oncid—to wait until new roots are just (1/8”-1/4”) emerging from the latest growth, or you’ll probably set the root sensitive plant back. But I’ve been so pleased with this vigorous little pearcei I wanted to make sure I didn’t screw it up…

Where Catts and Oncidinae tend to have definite rooting seasons, Phals and slippers tend to root pretty much any time which is makes them much less touchy on repotting time.