repotting

[shoegirl]

Thank's first to "phalpal" about the watering info. That said, since I should repot my orchid what kind of potting matter would anyone suggest? My phal is in the standard tan bark( med size)it comes in from the store.
thank's shoegirl

[mayres]

There are lots and lots of options of medias and different blends of medias you can use to repot your phal. What will be best for you depends upon where you live and your particular culture habits. Phals have actually been proven to grow best in media or blends that are quite closed in nature (not a lot of air space), but the danger here is if you are a newbie you can easily over water and cause root rot problems. Examples might be something like sphag moss and coir or different blends utilizing these as a portion. More open mixes like medium bark will be less inclined to hold water too long and help if you are inclined to water too often. If you do use bark, make certain that you soak the bark for 24-48 hours ahead of time (actually I think even longer might be a good idea) and then you may need to continue to soak the pot, roots and all for a good 20-30 minutes each time you water for a month or so. I have experienced and others too the phenomena of having phals go too dry right after potting up on bark - I really think it is because the bark initially is not taking up enough water to keep the plant hydrated enough. I would suspect you might have some roots in poor condition. When you remove your plant check the roots thoroughly and remove any mushy, black, or desicatted root material and keep only the plump tan/white/gray/green root material. Do not overpot into a pot much bigger than the roots will comfortably fit - this can potentially lead to root problems because of the media not drying out fast enough. Good luck! mike