Can I repot a flowering Phal?

[glossterline]

Hello everyone. I would be grateful for your advice.
I have a Phal (probably Bel Croute) that has flowered since I bought it almost a year ago. It began to flower again on an existing stem, and then it put up two new spikes. At present it is amazing with some 24 blooms. However, it is in a clear plastic pot (2-3") through which I can see a mass of tangled roots; it looks seriously pot-bound!
Would it be harmful to repot while in flower, or must I wait until the blooms eventually die down?

Best wishes from a sunny, warm SW of England.

Les

[katrina]

You're probably going to get different answers to this question. I can only speak from personal experience and I find that phals are quite friendly about repots. I've repotted several when in full spike/bloom w/out any ill-effects to the spikes/blooms.

As a matter of fact, when a new plant comes into my house...it gets repotted that day or at least w/in a few days. Some orchids have not been too happy about the repot and they showed that displeasure by abandoning their blooms. The phals...never minded at all and some have seemed even happier after the move.

With that said...it is more difficult to repot at this time because one has to be very careful w/the spikes so as not to break any and/or knock flowers off. If the plants has multiple spikes it can get a bit tricky but it can be done and the plant won't mind one bit.


Also...if the roots are 'stuck' to the plastic pots...soak the plant for awhile so they release w/out damage. If the roots were to get banged up/damaged during the move you might lose buds/flowers.

[jerrymeola]

Go ahead and do it.

I re-pot hundreds in bloom without a problem. It is very common for nurseries to re-pot to a larger size when getting ready to sell as a way to increase price.

It is one of the few families that re-pots easily when in bloom.

[Sassismom]

I'd love to see a picture.

[Tarad]

I have repotted in bloom ...then again what do I know really new to this, lol. The phal is still in bloom Tara

[glossterline]

Many thanks for your helpful comments. I have been lucky in rescuing several orchids so far and I'll be surprised if my handling harms the plant. So I'll give it a go and let you know what happens. The point about roots sticking was very useful; I'll watch out for that when the pot comes off.

I have banged off a quick piccie, but it is impossible to get all the blooms in the frame.

Les

[11Orchid126]

Did it ever occur to you that the reason the plant is blooming like crazy is because it's so pot bound?

[kmarch]

Is the full pot of roots the only reason you are prompted to repot? Are the roots packed in sphag or anything like that? If not, wait. Repotting could cause the flowers to blast. If it is potted in wet packed sphag, go ahead, the loss of flowers is better than the loss of the whole plant from root rot.

If you haven't got one already, get a good culture sheet on phals wither in this forumor at AOS | Home.

[jbigio]

I have never lost a bud -spike or flower on Phal when I re-pot I would go ahead and do it.

[glossterline]

In reply to two questions above.....Yes, I did wonder if being root-bound caused the heavy flowering. But since I know little about orchids, I was not sure of the connection. Secondly, the plant is in sphagnum, and the roots do seem tightly packed in the moss, and so there is a danger of rotting.
I will go ahead and pot it on; the general feeling above is that this will not harm my plant.

Thanks,

Les

[tizzycat]

good luck Les, keep us posted.

[glossterline]

This morning I bit the bullet and repotted the plant. The roots were compressed into a tight plug of moss, and it took a great deal of care to remove the mossy stuff without damaging the roots. I am surprised that no rot had taken place.
So, the beast is now sitting in a 4" pot with bark, and looking perky. I hope it's still looking perky in a few weeks time.

Les

[Tarad]

Les,
You have inspired me to tackle a big phal I got a few weeks ago that is actually still wet in moss. It is packed in a porceline Chinese pot of all things. Tara

[glossterline]

Hi Tara.
This morning, I noticed that some of the flowers on the repotted plant are going a little brown around the edges. However, the plant has been flowering for a long time now and it might simply be coming to the end of this season's growth. Its leaves are still looking glossy and green.

Some while ago, I potted two keikis that a neighbour had hacked from her Phal plant before they had produced any roots. Again this morning, I saw that one of them is putting up a new leaf. So, I think that I might have won that small battle.

It's good fun all the same.

Les

[Tarad]

I thnk you may be right les the flowers are probably at eh end of their time :,-/ I rep otted this morn and man the rotting roots I foound yuck, still some nice roots so hopefully it will be ok. Havef the fun is learning what works and what doesnt Tara

[mayres]

Les, did you soak your bark before use? Depending upon the quality of bark it can be difficult to aclimate a phal to bark after it has been used to sphag. You may need to soak/water for a few weeks or months instead of merely pouring water through - again depends upon the quality of bark used. You may also have to water at a different frequency than what you were previuosly doing? Just keep an eye on the turgor of the leaves - if you see any striation or other signs of loss of vigor you may need to adjust your regimin. I don't mean to alarm - but just something I've noted a few times over the years that "could" help. Enjoy!

[glossterline]

Hello Mayres, and thank you for your message.

I did soak the bark for the morning before I transplanted the beast. What you say makes sense; the moss was very damp, and the roots really compacted when I unravelled it all. So I expect that the bark will 'feel' drier to the plant. I'll keep a close eye on the leaves.
Since I transplanted, the flowers are beginning to die off, but I do not know whether this is due to me or to the natural cycle of the plant. It has been flowering for many months.
The plants sit on a table directly behind me in this small study, and it's very easy to keep an eye on things when I come in to use the PC.

Les

[amersault]

hi, glossterline -

i've potted a Phal while in bloom and depending on the medium and the 'age' of the flowers, you may lose them or preserve the longevity. it really all depends.

since you are transitioning from Sphag to bark, bear in mind you'll have to keep the plant more moist, as you are moving to a coarse mix. it would help if you gave it some humidity with a pebble tray beneath it. i suspect you may lose some flowers, but this is negligible compared to the overall well-being of the plant.

also, mind the light. after repotting my phals, i normally decrease the intensity of light they get until they acclimate to the new material (i usually do this for a week). i also make sure to monitor the mix to see that it never dries out during this phase. new root growth is almost immediately evident once i restore the plant to its normal light conditions.

best of luck - gorgeous blooms, btw.

[glossterline]

Thanks amersault. I took the plunge and repotted, bearing in mind the tips people have given. Some of the flowers are beginning to wilt and die, but this is also happening to another Phal and it could be that flowering is just coming to an end. Both plants have been in bloom for many months.

The plants live on a table behind me where I use this PC and it is very easy to check their condition regularly.

It's strange that although I have been a keen gardener for many years, I was never been so interested in my plants as I am interested in my orchids.

Les

[amersault]

Originally Posted by glossterline

It's strange that although I have been a keen gardener for many years, I was never been so interested in my plants as I am interested in my orchids.

Les

it could be bc orchids have proven to be more challenging so now you're keen on getting it right

Phals are pretty resilient so don't worry about losing some flowers - as you noted, they have been open for quite awhile. Concentrate mainly on root development at this point. you'll know the plant is getting the right amount of light/water once you see evidence of a new leaf.