repotting

[princessk]

i saw the florist selling 3-4 phal orchids in one pot, but they were all around $100. is it hard to buy 3 orchids and re-pot them into one big pot? would that be bad for the orchid? or would it be better to figure out an arrangement where the 3 are together, but in separate indiviual small pots? if it would work then what kind of potting soil do you use?

[Orchid_lady]

That seems a little pricey. Florist always over price their flowers. They usually do this so the flower arrangement can look pretty. You can easily buy mature orchids on Walmart where they usually cost around 10 dollars plus tax. Another good choice is Ebay. I do not think that its a good idea to plant 3 orchids together since they need space to grow their roots. Each orchid does better in their own pot. You do not want to use potting soil but media. If they are phals you can used sphagnum moss or bark. Cattleyas or dendrobiums are happy with bark, lavarock, coco husk.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Putting them together requires too large a pot and root rot is very likely. Also, when it is time to repot and you must remove the old mix, all the intertwined roots and large root volume will make the job very difficult. This is a very shortsighted way of potting. Cynthia

What you can do is keep them in separate pots, put them all in a larger container, and cover over the tops of the pots with any type of moss like sheet moss, sphagnum moss or Spanish moss to hide the pots. The end product will look like a single planting but you will be able to tend each separate plant without disturbing another. Simply pull away the moss. And like Orchid Lady suggests, if you can get them from a box store for around $10 or so, you'll have a fabulous display for peanuts.

[Sara]

Whoa! Where on earth do you guys find orchids for $10!? The cheapest I've ever seen them here is $20 in the grocery store.
But I agree with everyone else, that's pretty expensive. Not to mention how unhealthy it is for the plants. IMO, shop somewhere else.

[flaorchidfan]

down here in central florida you can get them for between $6 and $10. Granted they arent beautiful specimens but they do fine with a little TLC. I have found that some big nursery's will discount perfectly healthy orchids right after they finish blooming. Ordinary people don't know what it is or how beautiful they can be and pass them by. I have picked up several this way.

[mayres]

You are lucky Andrew - here in Salem the phals are more normally in the $25 range at the grocery and big box stores (even more at a nursery) - once they quit blooming they have been abused by the store personnel for some weeks and are looking very poor. At this point they price them for about half price - which is still about $12 and expect someone to pick up a nearly dead plant. Fortunately we do have a Trader Joes about a half hour away where you can get a really good phal in the $12 range just starting to bloom! Sometimes even a mini variety for as little as $8. I agree - put 2-4 of them together and cover with spanish moss and you can get a trememdous display for $20-50.

[desertgal]

The last 3 orchids I purchased were grown at Matsui Nursery, Inc. If you visit their website (google for it) you will find that they supply the orchids for Trader Joes. My orchids are big, gorgeous, full of bloom and healthy. You might want to look for their markers in the orchids you purchase. And the best part is that I paid 12.88 each at my local supermarket.

Katie

[Ellen]

Just a few words of caution before you go out and buy orchids at your local box store or grocery store. First, even though the plants arrive in these places lovely and healthy, they may suffer enormous abuse while in the store, overwatering, for example. It is best to make sure that the roots are OK by digging down a little to check them and making sure the plant is not loose in its pot. Also, if you can get plants from a newly arrived shipment, this is best. Second, many orchids in these types of stores do not come with ID tags, or come with tags that are very generic, such as "Phalaenopsis orchid". You may not care now when you're just looking for a pretty flower to decorate your house, but if later you do get into serious collecting you will regret having bought all those NoID's. Be patient, buy only properly labeled, healthy orchids, and the mass market places like Trader Joe's will provide you with some great plants. One more thing - don't pay good money to take on a rescue case. It's not worth it. Dying orchids should be given away (or sold for a very nominal price).

[desertgal]

If you live in a small city like I do (the closest big city is 125 miles away) you have only a couple of places to purchase orchids. Talk to the head of the floral department in your supermarket or big box store. I found out ahead of time when they would be receiving orchids and had first choice as soon as they came in. It's almost like a treasure hunt to find orchids in my area since they fly out almost as soon as they come in. I envy those of you
who have access to orchid shows and large grower greenhouses to choose from.

[mayres]

I don't know that the total transition time is the same for all Trader Joes (probably not), but I purchased about 30 plants for a wedding and afterwards took a few of these home and immediately repotted. The plants were purchased the day they came in, were took immediately to the wedding site and stayed there for four days. About 3-4 days later I knocked the pots off and inspected the roots - very BAD condition - many rotten and shriveled up - both. The plants still looked great, so I did my best trimming and reconditioning and the plants three months later appear to be adjusting and growing well. I hear you Ellen about the noid plants - of course you can never show these at an orchid show and all the real orchid purists don't even want to look at them - but sometimes the plant and the price are just to irrestistable! They are worth more than the "price of admission" - just as cut flowers! :-) Desertgal - there are probably some people on this forum that can suggest some great online sources for people like yourself that are not near the good physical sources. I've noted that occasionally the box stores and grocery stores DO have name tags with their plants - maybe 30%?

[jerrymeola]

Back to the original question - commercial growers are starting to grow multiple Phals in the same pot. It makes for a stunning display. Usually they start with two small plants and grow them together. This avoids the pot size problem.

I had a customer who potted three in a large pot for very personal reasons and absolutely wanted the effect so I advised to water each plant as if it was in its own pot and not water the medium between the plants. This would avoid retaining too much water in these areas without roots. It is a lot of effort but if it is important to you then go for it.

You can pot several in a smaller pot as if they grow up together. Remove all the medium and intermingle the roots. Then place it in a pot size appropriate to the new root ball. I would use hydroponic stone to re-pot because you can float them in a large pot of water and submerge the new plant and pot allowing the stones to float in and around the roots.

The effect of several plants in a single pot can be stunning, so if the effort is worth it to you then try it.

Do not buy it from the florist. As to price, a dozen cut roses from a florist in New York is over $100 dollars and this Phals arrangement is no different. To a florist it is a cut arrangement that lasts longer than cut flowers but not intended to live for more than several months.

Prices on blooming plants around the United States vary a lot by shipping costs. You can buy high quality Phals in bloom in Florida for 12-15 dollars if you are near the grower but shipping them even across the state adds $5.00 to the Florida West Coast price.