Repotting/pot size issue

[flutepic15]

Hi all,

I bought a phal from IKEA last night (couldn't resist-it has large beautiful yellow flowers, and I didn't have one like it already, so I [I]needed[I] it, right? Anyway, the pot it came in was a 6" plastic pot. Although the plant itself is quite tall, its leaves are not huge. The sphagnum moss it was in was absolutely soaking, so I unpotted it as soon as I got home. Surprisingly, it had many many firm green or white roots, all of which were in very nice shape. However, they did not occupy the entire 6" pot. It's my understanding that a pot that large should only be used for a really mature plant to avoid rot. I repotted last night in the only pot I had at the time, which was a 4" clay. The roots barely fit in the 4" pot. It is a bit of a tight squeeze, but I got the roots in without damaging them. Today, I bought a 5" pot at Lowe's. It's also clay. However, it's decorated (painted") on the outside and has a whitish substance (paint?) on the inside that is not shiny, although whatever is on the inside and outside of the pot looks as though it's been baked on. It was the only 5" size I could find. It's obvious the paint or whatever it is is only decorative.

Two questions: first, is it ok to pot the phal in this pot with some sort of paint/glaze on the inside? As I mentioned, it's a terracotta pot that has been "spruced up" to look nicer. Second, I hate to stress the plant again by another repot, but is the 4" size that it's currently in too small if the roots just barely all fit? Should I upgrade to the 5" now so there's more room, or should I wait until it's done blooming to repot? I was under the impression (although maybe this is wrong) that the plant isn't really growing too much when flowering, so perhaps it won't need the extra room right away?

Thanks all!

[Hummer344]

I have a lot of sucess re-potting phals without loosing the bloom. Once you get all the spag out of the roots, clip off any bad roots or broken roots, it may fit back in the pot it came it. I preferr a plastic pot with slits in the sides over a terracotta pot. The roots get much more circulation. You can use a sodering iron to run slits down the sides of a plastic pot. It looks ugly but its a cheap way of doing it.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by flutepic15

Two questions: first, is it ok to pot the phal in this pot with some sort of paint/glaze on the inside? As I mentioned, it's a terracotta pot that has been "spruced up" to look nicer.

Does the glazed pot have drainage holes? If so then you should be fine. If not I recommend not using that pot. Drain holes are necessary.

Originally Posted by flutepic15

Second, I hate to stress the plant again by another repot, but is the 4" size that it's currently in too small if the roots just barely all fit? Should I upgrade to the 5" now so there's more room, or should I wait until it's done blooming to repot? I was under the impression (although maybe this is wrong) that the plant isn't really growing too much when flowering, so perhaps it won't need the extra room right away?

I recommend the smallest size pot which can comfortably hold all of the roots. If the 4" pot holds all of the roots ok then I'd leave it.

Have you got a good phalaenopsis culture sheet? If not, go to AOS | Members Only Area or check the Orchid Care section of this forum. A culture sheet tells you what conditions and care your phal needs.

[11Orchid126]

The reason the plant may have been in a 6" pot is because stores buy plants by pot size. It stands to reason that a plant in a 6" pot would cost more than a plant in a 4" pot.

As kmarch says, if the 4" pot holds all of the roots ok then leave it. You can always repot a few months up the line.

[flutepic15]

Thanks, guys. I will leave it where it is. KMarch, I had read the AOS cultrue sheet, but thank you for pointing me to it. It never hurts to read them again and again.