New Phals - Repot or Be Patient?
 

Hi again -
More questions from the newbie! I just received these two larger phals as a gift over the weekend. More grocery store rescues! They're both in bloom right now. I've attached pics of their current potting situation as well as they're gorgeous blooms.
I'm a bit concerned about how packed in the roots are - doesn't seem like much room for air flow?
Do I repot these in a day or so, or do I need to wait until the flower spikes die off? I'm afraid to wait too long if they're not getting the air and drainage they need. Thoughts? Thanks once again!

Personally I would leave them as they are potted in what looks like bark and it's not from what I can see degraded. The second one anyway..too hard to tell about the frist. Phals like being in small pots and that way it's harder to over-water. I would watch my watering and wait until the blooms are finished, then do a re-pot just in time for spring and summer growing season. But it's up to you. Nice phals you have there goodluck!

Cheryl

I think you should wait, you can put you fingers in the pot to loosen the bark a little and you could mist the roots that are hanging outside the pot so they get water. Goodluck with your new phals :D

You can definitely wait on the second one. It's in a sloted, clear plastic pot with a bark mix. That's perfect. The first one looks like it might be in sphagnum. You can wait to repot it but be very careful about watering. If you decide to repot the one that's in sphagnum, it may not effect the flowers at all but sometimes the flowers will die more quickly than normal after repotting. Just do what feels right to you. I think you'll be fine either way.

Thanks everyone! I'll probably just sit tight for a little while.

Phals in pure sphagnum potting mixture
 

A nursery that I buy from pots the plants in pure sphagnum moss. As has been noted when I sock these every two weeks they stay very wet. (The small plastic pot is very heavy from water.) I have not repotted them yet, but one mini-phal is past flowering and now has one leaf left. How should I proceed?:)

Repot. If the moss is staying wet for 2 weeks, it's old and airless. Fresh moss is OK if it meets your watering needs... it has air space and dries out. Personally I prefer bark - which dries out faster. Some on this forum use a semi-hydroponic approach (check out the Semi-hydro forum). But the common goal, however you accomplish it, is to have "humid air" rather than "wet" in the root zone. When you water, instead of soaking, hold it under the faucet, let water run through the pot... this flushes out crud and pulls air into the root zone. Then drain well.

(Note, this is a very old thread... you'll get more attention if you start a new thread)

Correct watering of Phals in sphagnum involves letting them go crisp dry before watering again. Then very briefly run water over the top, maybe for 1-2 seconds. The water will diffuse through the moss and leave it just moist. Never thoroughly soak Phals in sphagnum moss.

one leaf left?
 

With most of the leaves dropped. I would check the roots and crown for rot. I plant all my Phals in LECA and due to our dry air in New Mexico, I repot right away into S/H, check and remove any dead roots from rot and over watering in the sellers location, remove all the old medium. especially the most around the stem. Take care not to break the roots, and if in S/H I water once a week. If I find most of the roots unhealthy, I use KelpMax to stimulate new growth of roots and leaves. I have about 15 or 20 phals and all but one that I bought at Lowes, are healthy and six are in bud from last winters new plants. PS I like the Mini Phals for the space economy, but I have about half and half.