Popular is the Phalaenopsis orchid. It comes in eye-attracting colours of pink, yellow, lavender and white. Some of the varieties even have a pleasant, delicate scent. These orchids are easy to care for inside since they can thrive happily in the very same temperatures that us humans do. Phalaenopsis, normally, will bloom for up to three months every year given the appropriate care. Flowering orchids are healthy orchids. If you would like to continue excellent long term health for your orchids, refreshing the potting medium is a must about every 18 to 24 months.
Repotting
Repotting is making certain the pot size fits the orchid plant. You do not want too large a pot; nor do you need too small a pot. Too large and the plant will be exposed to excessive moisture content and potential root rot. Too little and the roots will be not have the ability to aerate properly. You want a pot that’s just the perfect size to the size of your plant and a little room to grow. Next, the potting medium is of the type specially made for orchids. They are usually made from tree bark, either fir or pine. You can even use a peat moss to include more moisture. Sometimes the medium will also incorporate coconut husks from the mix. Phalaenopsis is an epiphytic plant which means it lives on another object like a tree. It’s not uncommon to have its roots exposed.
What you Need
Before you repot your orchid, be certain you’ve got everything you require. Here’s a list
Of items which will help:
- sterile clay pot
- orchid potting medium consisting of a tree bark combination (from your garden centre)
- sanitized clay shards or lava stone to put at bottom of the kettle 4) styrofoam packing peanuts (the non-biodegradeable kind)
- pruning shears
- 1/2 cup bleach and 1 gallon of water
- bamboo bet
- cable plant ties
- pruning sealer or anti-fungal powder
The evening before you repot your orchids, give them a good watering. This will allow the roots to absorb moisture and soften the present potting medium and ease removing it in the pot.
Do This!
Having a clean work environment and sterilized tools is a must when working with your orchids. If you’ve got several plants, you do not want to inadvertently spread any probable infections from one plant to another. You might even need to wear sterilized gloves as you repot. Here are eight steps to changing your orchid’s potting medium.
- Mix one gallon of water and 1/2 cup of bleach. Choose a level surface to work on. Wipe the workspace using the fabric dipped in the bleach solution.
- In a pie pan or similar dish, then pour in some bleach solution and then soak your pruning shears for around 15 minutes. Then let them air dry.
- Next carefully extract your orchid plant in the old pot trying to not harm any of the roots.
- Throw out the old potting material. Examine your orchids’ roots. With your sterilized shears remove any portions of the roots where there’s rot. Also prune dead or dried leaves, if any. Apply pruning sealer to the recently cut areas to avoid infection.
- Remove and wash any remaining potting medium from the clay pot if you’re reusing the exact same one. Disinfect the clay pot with the bleach solution and allow it to dry.
- Place clay shards or lava stone and packing peanuts in the bottom of the clay pot. Cover the drain holes so the orchid’s roots can’t fit through.
- Carefully put your orchid from the pot on top of the clay shards and peanuts. While holding the orchid vertical in the middle, fill the pot with the tree bark and peat moss giving the plant service.
- you might use the bamboo stake to give your plant more support if necessary. Use the cable ties to wrap the stem to the stake being careful not to wrap the cable too closely.
Final Note
Repot your Phalaenopsis orchids before the new heavy foliage is going to appear. This is normally around summer or early spring. Don’t repot your orchids when they’re just about to bloom. This can stress out your plant and it might take a while before it blooms again. Every few months inspect the potting medium. If you observe that the potting medium is decomposing, it is time to repot however many months might have gone . When the medium is decomposing, more moisture than normal may be kept in the pot, which might cause your roots to develop root rot. You may follow the eight steps above for each orchid you repot. When you observe a set repotting program, you’ll be rewarded with healthy, beautiful flowering orchids every year.
