Rotten Roots :(

[Newfound Orchidlove]

Oh boy ... after repotting my store bought orchids, they both seemed to go downhill with losing flowers. I cut my spike on the big one today and check it's roots and MOST of them were rotten. Am i using a pot that i shouldn't? It's a clay pot with 1 drainage hole on the bottom. I use a Phalaenopsis mix from Better Gro. Am i suffocating the plant by putting too much media in the pot? I've also pictured my other orchid pot to see if that is a good one as well. Thanks for any advice in advance!

[Dorchid]

It would be a good idea to get a pot with more aeration, but I think the bigger problem is that it is planted too deep. There shouldn't be any media covering the top of the plant. It's going to hold water and rot the crown of the plant, killing it.

[orchidea]

Oh yes, as Dorchid was saying, the base of the plant has to be at the level where the top of the pot is......New roots need to dive into the medium. Please, don't forget that Phals grow on the trees in the wild with no medium at all and no pots. We just provide some medium around the roots for extra moisture as we don't reside in the tropics...
I would change the glazed ceramic pots to plastic see-through with slits if possible. The other option is ceramic but not glazed pots with holes on the sides. HomeDepot has them, or Lowes...... They don't retain as much moisture as glazed ones..........Water tend to evaporate through the surface of the pot very quickly....

[iluvorchids]

You also mentioned that most of the roots were rotten.

In my experience with moss I've always tried to put the plant in a small pot that will snuggly hold the roots. This is how I've had my orchids come back to life. I find that most times I'm using things around the house like yogurt containers. I just get hubby to drill lots of holes into it. that way the medium dries out quickly and roots aren't sitting in water.

[orchids4me]

Hello,
Clay pots are ok as long as not glazed type, use terra cotta type clay pots. Or you can use plastic pots. A lot of use use the clear type with or without slits in the sides. The advantage to clear pots is you can see what the roots are doing and you can see the moisture in the pots helps with knowing when to water. Some use a wood skewer that you can find packs of those in the cooking utinsil area of most supermarkets.
But jusr remember when re potting the bottom most leaf is on top of the medium and the pots diameter no bigger than what you can fit a couple fingers between the edge of the pot anf the root ball. Any bigger stays to wet to long and then root rot happens in the center area of the root ball. This is also enough room for about 2 years new growth before its time to repot again .
Hope this helps
Emmaye

[Newfound Orchidlove]

Thank you so much for your help! I will make all the changes suggested and see how it goes! My orchids thank you too

[syndywindy]

Hi welcome to the forum from another Illinoisian! I do use clay or terra cotta pots with only one drainage hole, but when I do, I make sure the medium is very airy. That way it drains easily and air can get to the roots. Also I agree with the suggestion that your plant is too deep into the pot. I would raise it out a bit, you don't want the crown of the plant covered with the medium.