Orchid Potting

[marykay]

I am totally new to the wonders of Orchid Growing. My husband bought me a stunning orchid for this past mothers day and since then i have purchased a few bulbs to start on my own. I could use some potting tips.

THanks
MK

[jerrymeola]

Newly purchased orchids should not be needed to be re-potted for one to two years.

I recommend re-potting only when the medium in which it is growing is too decomposed to keep the plant healthy (2-3 years for bark) or when the plant just does not look good anymore in how it fits the pot.

In general you have to remove all the old potting medium wash the roots and remove any dead or decaying roots. Often they can be re-potted in the same size pot from which they came with new potting medium.

Because of the stress from handling the roots and cutting many, it is recommended to re-pot only when the plant is actively growing and you see new roots developing. This is usually abut a month after the plant is finished flowering. This enables the plant to replace any bad roots that were removed.

You should up size pots no more than one inch a year. Using too large a pot is a major cause of problems for beginners. The plants want to be pot bound. If not, the plant spends all it strength growing roots rather than leaves and flowers.

You should lower the amount of water and fertilizer after re-potting. The roots are stressed and do not absorb as much water as before. Your normal watering technique can now be too much. Be gentle until you see new growth.

Each family of plants has some different requirements, so identify the family of orchid you have and ask for more advice if you feel you have to re-pot. you probably can leave them as they are.

[marykay]

Thanks so much for your reply Jerry

The bulb i purcahsed is not potted. Therefore i will have to pot in myself.

what kind of orchid is the "bulb"?

[jerrymeola]

MaryKay

I assumed that since you were new to orchids your description of bulb was just a mistake.

In orchids we have use the terms 'bare root' to describe plants that are sold needing to be potted immediately. It is not usual for a beginner to find or buy bare root plants. Cattleyas (corsage type flowers) have a bulb like structure above the pot referred to as a pseudobulb, and can be purchased bare root.

So be certain that you have actually purchased orchids. True bulb type plants like amaryllis, caladiums etc take a very different type of potting in soil. Orchids are potted in an open medium like bark so that there is fast drainage and then air circulation over the roots.

If you have bare root plants, then get a mix that is appropriate for the size of the roots. I find that Home Depot, WalMart etc sell a mix that is too large for potting most orchids. Find a bark mix no larger than a 1/2 for the largest pieces. If you are potting young orchids I would use bark under 1/4 inch but I can not usually find this even in orchid supply wholesalers.

Soak the roots for a couple of hours or overnight before potting. If you can get a root hormone like SuperThrive or Schultz root hormone use it in the soak mix. If you can not find any use about 1/4 teaspoon of fertilizer with a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in a gallon of water. All three together work well.

Also soak the bark overnight before potting. I like to use Styrofoam pellets in the bottom of the pot below the roots but it is not necessary. Work the bark around the roots so that the roots are touching the bark.

I once purchased a cymbidium back bulb. I planted it and nursed it and after four years it still hadn't bloomed. I was too green to realize that the plant had to have at least three or more pseudobulbs before it would bloom. I would have been better off discarding it and buying a plant of blooming size that I could enjoy immediately.