How To Repot An Orchid

An Orchid FAQ: How to Repot Talk around the Garden is all about orchids this month, with the opening of our Orchid Show. Among the many interesting orchid conversations, there is one question that gets asked repeatedly by gardeners of all skill levels: “How do I repot my orchid?” Luckily, the answer for most orchids is, “It’s easy.” Orchids should be repotted when new; every year or two; or when crowded roots push up and out of the pot. Spring: time for a close-up. Other than watering and occasionally fertilizing them, you probably don’t look closely at your orchids all that often when they’re not in bloom.

• Spring is the time to examine each plant with a critical eye to assess the need for repotting.
• It’s also when you’ll see the new growth that signals emergence from the dormant cycle—the best time for repotting.
• Is it new? Holiday gift orchids or newly-purchased plants are often planted with sphagnum moss, which absorbs and holds water—creating prime conditions for orchid root rot.

Repot all new orchids as soon as they’re done blooming. When was the last re-potting? Orchids need both the nutrients from the chunky, loose bark mix they’re planted in and the air space in between the pieces. As the mix breaks down to particle size, it compacts the air spaces inside the pot—virtually suffocating your orchid’s roots. Fresh bark mix is chunky and loose; decomposed mix fills in the air pockets that orchid roots need. Gather a few supplies. Repotting an orchid sounds complicated and exotic, but it’s a simple process requiring just a few items:

Fresh bark mix. The mix matters: some typical store-bought mixes deteriorate far too rapidly. For high-quality mixes, Chicago-area orchid fans can travel west to Orchids by Hausermann’s, an orchid nursery that carries several bark options—not to mention fantastic plants. Online orchid specialists offer more options, too. A pot that’s one size larger than the original, in case your orchid is ready to move up. Pruners and/or a sharp pruning knife, sterilized in a 10 percent bleach solution. Scissors or a razor blade for trimming roots and leaves. Gloves to protect your hands from splinters and prickles. A thin dowel or blunt knife for settling compost around the roots.

Healthy orchid roots are white; pale green tips indicate new growth. Get to the root of it. Now comes the interesting part Remove the orchid from the pot. Roots can be potbound and sticky; first try “massaging” the pot to loosen the rootball. Not budging? Work a dull knife down and around the inside of the pot, then invert it and tap the pot on your work surface to remove.

1. Soak the roots.
2. Examine the rootball and feel a few root ends.
3. If the rootball is stiff and dry, soak it in water for a few minutes to soften the tissues.
4. Careful: dried-out roots can snap! Loosen and untangle roots gently.
5. As you do, trim away black/hollow/soggy roots and remove the old compost trapped between the roots.

Refresh the disentangled roots with a thorough rinse to wash away all the tiny bits of soil that can clog up breathing spaces inside the pot. Settle plant into the new pot. Holding the plant in one hand, place the plant down into the pot. Pour fresh bark mix around the plant, using a dowel or blunt knife to work it all the way down and between the freshly separated roots.

1. Water thoroughly.
2. Then test your patience: wait a full week or two before watering again—that break stimulates root growth in the new medium.
3. Now your orchid.
4. While this basic potting method works for most orchids, some require special care, such as dividing or mounting.
5. Our Lenhardt Library is a great resource for specialty orchid information—we’ve counted more than 600 books, videos, and other orchid resources there, all available to smart gardeners in one beautiful space! Come in for a visit while you’re at the ! Karen Zaworski is a garden writer and photographer who lives and gardens in Oak Park, Illinois,

: An Orchid FAQ: How to Repot

When should you repot orchids?

1. Your Orchid Has Outgrown Its Pot – Once you notice your orchid’s roots seem too crowded in its current container, it’s time to repot your orchid. If you see roots beginning to grow up from the plant stem or start to crawl over the side of the pot, it’s a telltale sign your pot has become too small.

Should I soak my orchid before repotting?

Repotting Orchids — Preparation – To ensure a smooth potting experience, there are a few things you should gather before you start.

• Soak your potting medium in water overnight. New bark doesn’t absorb water as readily as older bark, so soaking will ensure your orchid will have enough water after it’s repotted. If you are using other potting medium such as coconut husk chips, sphagnum moss, clay pebbles, charcoal and perlite, then wet them thoroughly or soak them for an hour.
• Decide the right pot size for your plant. Orchids like to be very snug. The pot should only be big enough to accommodate one to two years of growth. If your orchid is not outgrowing its pot, you can even reuse the original pot.
• Sterilize all your equipment, which include a pair of scissors to cut dead roots as well as a stake and zip tie to stabilize the orchid in the mix. You can use a bleach solution to sterilize. (Rinse thoroughly afterward!) I also use a butane torch (found in hardware stores) to sterilize my scissors before working on the next orchid. The reason for this is to prevent spreading disease from one plant to another.
• Get a plastic label/tag so that you can write down the name of the orchid and the repotting date.
• For each orchid you will work on, get a pair of latex gloves (or latex alternative if you are allergic).
• Prepare some cinnamon (yes, the kind you use to cook with, as in cinnamon buns) or sulfur. You will need them to dust the roots after they are cut to disinfect them.
• Soak your orchid in a bucket of water for half an hour or so to loosen the potting medium and make the roots more flexible.

Should I water orchids before or after repotting?

After you have re-potted your orchid, it should be watered thoroughly. For the first couple of weeks af- ter repotting, fertilize when watering with Better-Gro® Better-Bloom® Orchid Fertilizer, which is high in phosphorus and will stimulate root growth.

Should orchid roots be exposed?

Q: What makes orchid roots so special? A: Velamen – Orchid roots are sometimes referred to as aerial roots, but that is not a sufficient definition because unlike most other aerial roots, orchid roots are not looking for a place to burrow down into. They truly live in the air.

Most orchids will have aerial roots reaching out into the air, rather than digging down into the potting media. These roots are looking for a tree branch to attach to. These roots absorb moisture from the air. Do not trim off these wandering roots, just let them do their thing. Orchid roots have a covering called velamen which acts like a sponge, soaking up water.

The velamen also protects the roots. Special cells in the velamen transport the water to the stele, which is like a blood vein for orchids, which then delivers nutrients to the pseudobulb and leaves. If your orchid roots are bright green – they are still wet. Wait until the roots are a silvery-green before watering again.

Do you bury air roots when repotting orchids?

Repotting an orchid – If your orchid isn’t flowering optimally, you can repot it. Use a pot with a diameter of at least 20% wider than the previous one. That way you can be sure that the orchid can still grow in it. Put the air roots in the ground during repotting.

Do orchids like deep pots?

Are There Special Containers for Orchid Plants? – Do orchids need special pots? Many greenhouses or garden centers that sell orchids will also sell special pots for orchids. These specific containers for orchid plants usually have slats or cut out shapes on the sides to allow for better drainage and air flow to the roots.

Slatted wooden boxes are also sold as orchid containers. However, you don’t need to spend a fortune on specialized containers for orchid plants. Any pot with good drainage can house an orchid plant. When growing orchids in containers, be sure to select pots with 4 to 12 drainage holes. Most orchids do prefer shallower squat pots, as their roots don’t like all the moisture retained in deep pots and they just don’t need the depth anyway as their roots spread out, not down.

When using a deep pot, place lava rock or packing peanuts in the bottom of the pot to save some money on unnecessary that the orchid roots will never use, but also to improve drainage. Also, when every one to two years, only choose a pot that is about an inch (2.5 cm.) wider than the previous pot; it does not need to be any deeper, only wider.

What happens if you don’t repot orchid?

Orchids make the perfect houseplants — they’re stylish, long-lasting and easy to care for. They’ll continue to bloom for years with minimal effort. After years of living in the same space, things might get cramped. And the same can be said for your moth orchid.

Your orchid has tightly tangled roots, It’s normal for Phalaenopsis orchids to have loosely tangled roots. This is a surefire sign your orchid needs to be repotted. Give plants breathing room by placing it in a larger pot every year or two with fresh potting soil. It’s been a while since you’ve repotted. Orchids need fresh potting mix every year or so. This continues to provide plants with the best nutrients and encourages proper air circulation. Soil that is not replaced can retain more water, leading to root rot and leaving your orchid vulnerable to fungal diseases. Your orchid’s roots are soft and brown. If you truly waited too long to repot, you’ll notice that your orchid is holding too much water. The roots will appear brown and feel soft to the touch. Fresh orchid potting mix will provide your plant with the environment it needs to stay happy and healthy.

Think it’s time to repot? Follow the steps below to give your orchid the space and soil it needs to keep growing happy and healthy. How to repot orchids:

Choose the right medium. We suggest using Espoma Organic Orchid Mix, For best results, pre-soak orchid mix for 24 hours and allow water to drain. Remove orchid from current container and trim dead roots from the plant. Fill container to one third full with orchid mix. Position single stem plants in the center of the new pot. Position multi-stem plants against the pot wall. Staking may be required until the plants are fully established. Gently cover roots with additional mix and fill pot to 1/2 inch below rim. Water thoroughly. Add more mix if setting occurs.

Is your orchid telling you it needs to be repotted? Watch this video to learn how! Orchid Care 101 – YouTube Espoma Organic 21.4K subscribers Orchid Care 101 Espoma Organic Watch later Share Copy link Info Shopping Tap to unmute If playback doesn’t begin shortly, try restarting your device.

Do store bought orchids need to be repotted?

When you buy a new plant it may have been in the same medium for a long time already. A good rule of thumb is to repot a new orchid as soon as practical after it is purchased. Usually this means when it goes out of bloom. Orchids need to be repotted before their media breaks down and smothers the roots.

Why is my orchid dying after repotting?

Why is my orchid dying after repotting? – Root rot is the leading cause of a dying orchid plant after repotting, Root rot may be caused by poor soil, overly compacted soil, a lack of drainage holes, or not draining the potting mix properly before repotting the plant.

Do orchids like regular potting soil?

Make a custom orchid soil mix The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong Gardeners new to orchid growing soon realize that healthy orchids don’t grow in regular potting soil. It’s too dense, doesn’t drain thoroughly enough, and most orchids actually grow in the air—the medium is just there to give the roots something to cling to.

Beyond that, the various choices available in orchid potting materials can be confusing. Many orchid cultivars can grow in a one-ingredient medium and some varieties prefer only certain materials. You can make your own custom orchid mix, but you first need to become familiar with the needs of your particular plant.

Orchids are usually grown in a combination of perlite, vermiculite, sphagnum moss, and shredded bark. More soil ingredients may be necessary to keep your orchid healthy based on its specific variety. Many high-quality orchid growing mixes offer a variety of benefits, depending on the media included.

Do orchids like soil or bark?

FAQ Orchid Bark Mix – Can I plant orchids in bark only? Bark doesn’t hold water well, so while orchids can technically grow in bark alone, you’ll have to be prepared to water much more frequently. That being said, some orchids, like phalaenopsis, do fine when grown in bark in a humid environment because their roots are able to easily absorb moisture from the air.

1. We still recommend adding another material to help the growing medium retain water, though, as it will make caring for your orchids easier.
2. What’s the best bark for orchids? Fir bark is the most common choice for orchids.
3. Other popular choices include coastal redwood bark and Osmunda tree fern fiber.
4. Should orchids be in soil or bark? Most orchids do not grow well in soil because soil is too dense.

Instead, they should be grown in a bark mixture or other materials that allow for good aeration, adequate drainage, and some moisture retention. Is orchid bark the same as mulch? Mulch should not be substituted for orchid bark. Most mulch is designed to break down more quickly than orchid bark.

How long does it take an orchid to recover from repotting?

4 Ways To Take Care of Your Orchid After Repotting – 1. For 2 weeks after repotting your orchid, mist its leaves very lightly. Always mist plants early in the day so the leaves have plenty of time to dry fully before dark. To boost the plant’s nutrition, you can add 2 to 3 drops (1 to 2 drops for minis) of rooting solution or a high phosphorus plant fertilizer to the misting water.2. 3. On the second week after repotting, fertilize your orchid, substituting rooting solution for fertilizer. Do not water your Phalaenopsis on the weeks it is fertilized. Fertilize your orchid every other week for the first month. If your plant appears to be strong and healthy, you can then move to monthly fertilizer applications.4.

Should you let orchids sit in water?

Common Orchid Watering Mistakes – Just because orchids are tropical plants doesn’t mean they love water. Many popular orchids are tropical plants, but they are tropical plants that live in trees. In their natural habitat, they are exposed to drenching rains that may last hours or even days, but many species are also adapted to a dry period where little rain might fall for weeks.

• Watering too often: Orchid plants should never be allowed to sit in still water. In many cases, the plant should completely dry between waterings.
• Watering at night: No matter what kind of orchid you grow, always water in the morning. Always. Nighttime watering allows water to stagnate in the growing tips of phalaenopsis orchids or the flower sheaths of Cattleyas. This encourages bacterial and fungal diseases, Orchid plants should be dry heading into the night.
• Ignoring the plant’s cues: Orchids are pretty good about telling you what they need. During the growing season, pseudobulbs should be fat and plump, and fleshy leaves should be held up off the potting media and thick. Some deciduous orchids might shrivel during the winter. This is fine. Know what you’re growing.

Should you spray orchids with water?

Caring for orchids – Orchid care: mist orchid foliage Most orchid house plants come from humid, tropical regions, so do best in a humid atmosphere, In most centrally heated homes the air is dry, so mist the foliage every two to three days using tepid water, but avoid spraying the flowers, as the petals can be marked by water.

• Overwatering is the most common way to kill orchids.
• To avoid giving your plant too much water, always lift the pot first to check if it feels heavy – water only when it feels light.
• Showy Vanda orchids, which are often grown in glass vases without compost, require a specific watering regime: fill the vase with water daily in summer, then empty it after half an hour.

To water moth orchids correctly, look at its roots. Don’t water if these are green but wait until they look silvery, instead. Feed with orchid fertiliser from spring until autumn. Orchids roots are very susceptible to root rot, so it’s important that they’re never sitting in water.

Should orchid roots be in water?

How to Plant an Orchid Stem Cutting – Once you have a new orchid sprouting from your stem cutting, continue to keep the environment humid. When the new sprout has roots that are between 2-3 inches long and at least two leaves, you can plant the new tiny orchid in its own pot.

Just like with any orchid, you’ll want to make sure that you have good soil designed for orchids in the pot. Cut off most of the stem below the new orchid, being careful not to damage the new plant. Leave about an inch of the stem intact. You can use the stem to help anchor the orchid in the new growing medium.

In a pot mostly filled with orchid potting soil, gently spread out the orchid’s roots. This will help the roots absorb water better. Then carefully cover the top of the potting mix and the exposed roots with sphagnum moss to keep the roots from drying out too quickly.

Do you bury air roots when repotting orchids?

Repotting an orchid – If your orchid isn’t flowering optimally, you can repot it. Use a pot with a diameter of at least 20% wider than the previous one. That way you can be sure that the orchid can still grow in it. Put the air roots in the ground during repotting.

What kind of soil do orchids need?

Orchids are not potted in regular indoor potting soil, but instead an orchid-specific porous mix that can include sphagnum moss, fir bark, coconut husk, and tree fern fibers.

Should orchid roots be exposed?

Q: What makes orchid roots so special? A: Velamen – Orchid roots are sometimes referred to as aerial roots, but that is not a sufficient definition because unlike most other aerial roots, orchid roots are not looking for a place to burrow down into. They truly live in the air.

Most orchids will have aerial roots reaching out into the air, rather than digging down into the potting media. These roots are looking for a tree branch to attach to. These roots absorb moisture from the air. Do not trim off these wandering roots, just let them do their thing. Orchid roots have a covering called velamen which acts like a sponge, soaking up water.

The velamen also protects the roots. Special cells in the velamen transport the water to the stele, which is like a blood vein for orchids, which then delivers nutrients to the pseudobulb and leaves. If your orchid roots are bright green – they are still wet. Wait until the roots are a silvery-green before watering again.

Can orchids be repotted in regular potting soil?

Can I use regular potting soil for orchids? – If you have a bag of extra soil in your shed or garage, you may be tempted to use it to repot your orchid. Unfortunately, you can’t use traditional soil to pot your orchid because it’s too dense to support your orchid’s delicate and unique root system.