How to tell when it is time to trim roots on a Phal?

[losOrchid]

I just recently purchased a Phal( about a month agon) and after letting it aclomate to my home, I repotted it. I noticed there where a lot of stringy black roots and a couple of thick yellowish roots. None of the roots that where wither a healthy green or yellow where soft, they all seemed to be very firm. My question is when and which roots do I need to trim off.

On a side note I purchased a large 6 inch pt and I think the pot it was in before was about 3 inches, does this sound like to large of a pot?

Thank You
Los

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Yes, that is probably too large a pot. You want to put it into the smallest pot the roots will fit into. I like to have a stock of pots handy that are different by only a half inch, so I can get just the right size on the spur of the moment. In your case, you would probably have to settle for every 1" because most stores don't carry such a large assortment. I also like azalea pots because they can have a wider base for the volume of the pot, and it is the volume of the pot you want to minimize so that the pot dries in a reasonable length of time.

I persoanally would leave all live roots, and only cut off the shriveled, clearly dead roots. The exception for me is if some one had been growing the plant in a really tall pot, too tall to be able to get the roots to fit in what I consider to be a reasonably sized pot, I would trim the long roots to a shorter length with a sterilized tool. Never cut into live tissue with any tool that has not been sterilized. Cynthia

[jerrymeola]

Orchids can have a lot of roots cut off especially if they are thin and stingy. I cut all my black roots, although, mine are thick and I believe the area is a source of rot. I prefer to cut it out and let the plant grow new roots.

I would expect that both leaving them or cutting them will do OK.

Phals are not as critical in pot size as other orchids and can be over-potted, but 6 inches sounds too big.