repot and/or prune roots?

[wisechild9]

I had a Phalaenopsis orchid for about 18 months and decided to repot it as it was getting too big for its pot. However, I don't think I potted it in a large enough pot because it's about 6 months later and the new root growth is going way over the edges again (about 6-8 roots). Would I be sending the plant into too much shock if I repotted it again now (although it is not blooming)? If I do repot, should I be cutting back healthy roots - it has quite a mass of them? Or should I just do nothing,keep the existing pot and let the roots go crazy for another 6 months?

[atcrosby]

From the way you describe it, the Phal is very happy and you are taking good care of it. Phals are natural airplants and it's natural for them to send out roots which go over the side of the pot. I have one that I just repotted and first thing it did was to send out two roots over the top the pot.

These roots are covered in velamin which is what absorbs water from the air. I just spray the roots each morning so that they get some moisture as well.

If you put it into a pot that is too large, your medium will not dry properly increasing the chance of the roots staying wet leading to rot. What are you using for potting medium ?

As far as helping it to grow a spike, I'll let someone more experienced talk about that.

[jerrymeola]

I wish I could get Phals to grow this fast.

It may well have something to do with the genetics of the hybrid, that causes it to grow aggressively. Be thankful that you have it and be slow to change what is working well.

If the pot is full of roots there is no reason why you can not go bigger. Normally I recommend using the smallest pot possible to pot bound roots (not true for Phals but most other species) and to avoid root rot since large pots do not dry well unless pot bound.

I consistently tell people on this forum to understand why the advice was given. This advice is good for 95% of situations but there is an exception for everything. I constantly buy orchids from wholesalers that are growing excellent for them in all the wrong conditions. Different "wrong" conditions added up to a healthy plant.

Back to your plant. What you are doing for this plant in this location is perfect. It is growing well. You do not have to worry about too wet a pot because your watering has worked for you when increasing the pot size last time. So you can do it again.

A few considerations for your plant. First, Is it flowering consistently every year for you. If you bought it in bloom it should have re-flowered for you in the 18 months you have owned it. If not then reconsider your care.

Too large a pot can encourage root growth at the expense of flowers. Sometimes this is desired to create a huge specimen plant with more flowers in the future. For example I have some semi-miniature Cattleyas (8 inch max height is my definition of semi-miniature) that I buy in 2 1/2 inch pots and can get to flower in 6 months in 3 inch pots but take over a year in four inch pots. Hknsa Sogo Doll is the best example since it blooms two to three times a year. The fact that 4 inch pots never flower the first year clearly indicates it is growing roots. After a year the 3 inch pots will have flowered twice but the 4 inch pots will be much larger and put out more flower spikes. How large to pot is a personal choice. I do both.

A second consideration if your plant has not re-flowered is your fertilizer.
Too much nitrogen will cause growth and leaves at the expense of flowers. I always recommend balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer. High nitrogen 30-10-10 fertilizers will grow large non-flowering plants too often.

As to pruning roots this is something I do often with Cattleyas but not for Phals. The purpose of pruning roots is to encourage new root growth and remove old roots that will decay as the plant no longer uses them. In your situation you certainly do not need to encourage root growth, so I would not be consider pruning. You can always cut off healthy roots to fit the pot better but true pruning will not do anything for the plant.

[wisechild9]

Thanks for the advice Jerry!

This phal has not reflowered since the first time I got it. I've seen lots of root and leaf growth but no blooming. I haven't been fertilizing consistently, but I was using was 19-31-17. I will switch to something more balanced.

I was worried that if there are too many roots outside of the pot, that it wouldn't be healthy because they aren't getting the moisture from the medium (I use a mixture of spaghnum moss and Schultz orchid mix). And aesthetically, I don't really like the way all the exposed roots can look all unruly. But I guess I can mist the exposed roots. Or, as you say, if it doesn't harm the plant, I can prune these. So, if I want to maximize flowering, and minimize root growth, how often should I repot? Or at what point, do I definitely need to repot?

[atcrosby]

if it's aesthetics ...

You might want to consider getting some Spanish Moss and just using that to hide the roots. It'll slow down the evaporation rate slightly but misting the Spanish Moss will help it grow and also the let the roots get some moisture.

Remember, Spanish Moss is another epiphyte so it'll get most of its moisture from the humidity in the air.