Empty crown when replanting?

[Phalcycle]

Today I repotted my phalaenopsis NOID, and I was using fir bark.
The roots were very entangled and were healthy so I didn't want to cut them.
As I was refilling with bark, I found it was hard to push the bark into the middle, where the crown sits. I was thinking of putting sphag mosss there, but was worried about crown rot.

right now it is empty there, and I can litteraly see down into the root zone.
I don't know if this is okay? It does allow more air, but I don't know if it will be fine.

[PhalNewbie89]

I could be wrong but I would assume that it is okay. I am sure some plants wouldn't hug as snug to a tree trunk as others.....May even be good because you don't have to worry about it staying too moist in the middle :P

[mehitabel]

If you put the sphag on top of the bark instead of filling any empty spaces with it, it will be fine.

[dounoharm]

i shake the pot as i put in the bark and that fills in the holes.....

[uffe3667]

I usually tend to "bang" the pot on the sink when repotting to get the bark into all the small awkward places. Also for several weeks after the repot i tend to "Massage" the pot ( squeezing at places where there seems to be airpockets) before each watering. This seems to help in getting an even distribution of bark.
A large pocket of air in the center might help in preventing a permanent moist spot in the center, but might also prevent an equal distribution of moist throughout the pot.
So i think it is kind of depending on your care preferences.
I would personally go for trying to fill up the empty space so you could accurately use for example the "skewer" method for determining the correct time of watering. (Stick a bamboo skewer into the medium and when the skewer feels almost dry to the touch it is time to water).
Gr. Erik

[kmarch]

To get mix into those hard to reach places in between roots, I take ahold of the pot and plant both with one hand, put a few handfulls of mix in, then, holding both the plant and pot with both hands, I give the pot 2-3 good bangs on the potting bench (table, counter, whatever). This settles the mix in around the roots. Repeat this until the pot is full with mix or at least the difficult to fill space is full. It's basically a method similar to what effe and dounoharm has suggested.

[Phalcycle]

The problem is that my orchid grows roots from all directions from the crown, and the medium is too big to get inside.
The orchids have not shown bad things yet, they do dry out faster, so I have to water more

[LouisW]

Also what I sometimes do is fill that spot by turning the plant upside down, and filling it up like a basket, putting the pot over it, and then turning it back right side up.

[Ray]

I often do the same as Louis.

Also, the base of the plant is not the "crown". The crown is the center of the growth front in the middle of the top of the plant - the apical meristem.

[Phalcycle]

hehe, sorry I'm net very technical =\
But that is a great idea Louis, I am going to try that out

[11Orchid126]

Whenever I have an empty middle I fill it with packing peanuts. This provides air to the center and keeps it from being too wet and rotting the roots. I hold the plant upside down, fill the center with the peanuts, slip a piece of wax paper over it, then put the pot on top of that. I turn the whole shebang right side up and carefully slip the wax paper out.