Repotting questions
 

Ok, I just finished repotting some seedlings, and as i was doing it, some questions popped into my head that I think I should have answered for future reference.

How tightly packed should the plant be? I bought some orchid mix, that appears to be mostly bark, with a few other things. it's really light though, and whenever i pot anything in it, I feel like the plant is unstable. Like the potting mix is so light, it doesn't really hold the plant in place as well as it should. Is that normal? I don't know if i'm just worrying too much or something. I was trying to pack the bark down a little bit, but I was worried that it could somehow hurt the roots, or something.

Also, after being repotted, should you fertilize it the first few times you water it?

Hi Whitley,

It's better to use a pot clip to stabilize the plant rather than trying to pack in more mix. By pushing down on the mix you could be damaging roots :(

There are pot clips available for thicker pot edges like clay pots
Pot Clips: Camp Lot A Noise Tropicals

and also for thinner edges like the clear plastic pots
EZ-ON Pot Clips Single Clips: Camp Lot A Noise Tropicals

I used those links only as an example, just do a Google search to find a vendor with the best pricing, shipping, etc...

:D

When you repot, it's a good idea to tap the pot on the table as you add medium in. This helps get it between the roots and get rid of any big air pockets. The plant should feel quite stable once you're done repotting.
Personally I hold off on the fertilizer a week or two, to let an roots that may have been damaged while repotting heal. Since the medium is soaked before repotting, I also hold off on water for almost week.

Whitley, what genera are you referring to?

let's see, two dendrobiums, and a paph

camille, :shock: you are supposed to soak the medium before you repot.........:duh:. I didn't know that! Since I didn't do that will it really hurt my plants, or can I save them by watering them. That's what I have been doing anyway, since the media dries so quickly.