Planta
Zurück zu The Orchid Oasis

I have this orchid I was given as a gift about 3 years ago and I’ve… | The Orchid Oasis | Planta-Community

🌺Plant & Garden Newb

I have this orchid I was given as a gift about 3 years ago and I’ve neglected it I guess you could say but I want to change that!! I love orchids and want to get several more. First anyone able to tell which breed this is off the leaves and is this a good time to repot it? Any and all suggestions welcome! Also I’d love to take in orchids to my office but I have no windows. Would I be able to have one in the office with a grow light? If not- any suggestions for plants that do well under a grow light? Preferably something that blooms. And - when do orchids typically bloom and when are they dormant? TIA! 🌺🌱☺️

Anhang 1 von 2Anhang 2 von 2
5 Likes 12 Kommentare

12 Kommentare

  1. LearningPlantMom

    This is a great time to repot! The roots are looking a little cramped, and since it isn’t flowering season, it’s safe to repot! Grow lights are a very helpful tool to use for your orchids. Orchids typically bloom in the summer time, so you don’t want to repot during the plants bloom because the newly bloomed flowers will die. So now is a perfect time! Use the same potting material, but up the size of the container!

    1 Like
    • LearningPlantMom
      Anhang 1 von 1
      0 Likes
    • 🌺Plant & Garden Newb

      Thank you so much! I’ve never had it bloom but I’m determined to change that. I’m going to repot her and give her some hope. 😁🌱Wish me luck. 🍀

      1 Like
  2. LearningPlantMom

    Your plant looks like a moth orchid, which I show in the image above. I think those bloom over the winter? But I’m not sure, mine blooms over the summer. So I would repot really quickly now when you have the chance 👍 Bright indirect sunlight is the way to go. And water when it feels dry.

    1 Like
    • 🌺Plant & Garden Newb

      Okay. I will do that. Can you tell me if I should be doing anything with what appears to be the dead roots and the green ones? 🤔

      0 Likes
    • LearningPlantMom

      When you go to repot, take the orchid out of the container (obviously lol) 1. wash the roots off 2. Prune the roots (basically remove any of the dead or decaying roots 3. Remove bloom stem (if the orchids bloom stem is is dry and dead definitely cut it off 4. Then leave it to soak in some water for a good amount of time before moving to new soil and pot 5. Move it to its new pot 😊

      1 Like
    • 🌺Plant & Garden Newb

      Such helpful information. Thank you!! 😊

      0 Likes
  3. MeasomerPi

    You have a phalaenopsis. You would need to have the plant tested to find out the exact variety. But that’s not a problem. Give it typical phal culture and it should be fine. Now is a good time to repot. I would first give it a good soak as things are easier when hydrated. Take the orchid out of the pot and gently remove the media from the roots. Try get it all, but it’s fine if you have to leave some so you don’t damage the roots. And don’t worry if you damage some roots. It isn’t great but it happens. Just try to minimize as much as possible. Examine the roots for health and pests. Trim off any dead or dying roots. Dead roots are papery or mushy, black or brown. Healthy roots are firm and green when wet, silvery when dry. Deeper into the media you may encounter pale yellow roots. It just means they haven’t been exposed to light. They are fine as long as they are firm. I would leave any wrinkled roots as long as they are firm. Use an orchid pot with additional ventilation. They are typically clear, like the one you currently have, so you can monitor root development and have ventilation holes on the sides of the pot. If you don’t have one, you can add holes to a growers pot or any other plastic pot you have on hand. Size the pot so that the roots just fit in the pot. They like a tight fit. To minimize transplant shock, use a similar mix to what it currently is in. But I would not use more than 50% sphagnum. If you are a heavy waterer you can reduce the amount of sphagnum in your mix. My preference is straight bark. The key is a loose airy mix that will allow the roots to dry between waterings. Regardless of what mix you use, gently work it around the roots. I use an old chopstick for the job. The goal is to firmly seat the plant in the pot without packing the media. You want an airy mix that allows the roots to grab the water they want and then dry out. You’ll want to repot your plant every 2 to 3 years or when the media begins breaking down. Degraded media holds too much water, which is detrimental to root health. When I water, I soak the pot for 10-15 minutes. Wait until the media dries out (look for silver roots) before watering again. For my setup, that works out to roughly once a week. Each time I water, I use fertilizer at 1/4 strength. Once a month flush with pure water to reduce salt buildup (this is especially important if you are using synthetic fertilizer). Give your plant bright but indirect light. Direct sun will burn a phal pretty quickly. Too low and you won’t get blooms. I have mine an a west window that is shaded by landscaping. They get absolutely no direct sun. If the edges of the leaves turn reddish you know you are at the max limit of sun for your plant. I don’t use grow lights with my phals but you should be able to find an inexpensive one to suit your plant. The best tip for orchids is learn. Read up on their care if you are so inclined. There are several channels on YouTube with information on orchid care, like Miss Orchid Girl, Here.. but Not, Hello Plant Lovers and Growing Orchids With Roger. Podcasts like Plant Daddy and On the Ledge are useful. The American Orchid Society is another handy resource. I especially like their monthly to do lists. If you really want to dive into the rabbit hole, you can look for orchid societies in your area; nothing can replace interacting directly with growers that have been doing it for years.

    3 Likes
    • 🌺Plant & Garden Newb

      Wow! Thanks for taking the time to share all this great information. I did end up looking up a tutorial on YouTube- gotta love it! And re-potted it. I soaked it for about 10 minutes , removed the dead roots and there were quite a few and then planted it using the special soil for orchids. It’s my goal to get many more and to improve the health of all my plants and people like you on this group are getting me off to a great start. Thank you!! 😊🌱😁

      1 Like
    • MeasomerPi

      Orchids are great fun. Good luck!

      0 Likes
  4. Mayflower

    Hey there! I actually bought my very first orchid years ago and it came in the same pot! Mine is a moth orchid and its blooms are white. I repot mine once a year after the blooms have died and the stem turns brown. I usually up the pot size to give them more room. When repotting I take them out and gently rinse the roots. I let the roots soak while I ready the new pot. I have mine in a bright window and water according to Planta. I do mist each of mine daily with a mister just enough to dampen them but not saturate with water. That seems to help a lot.

    1 Like
    • 🌺Plant & Garden Newb

      Oh how funny is that. It is a cute little pot. Mine was given to me as a gift. I think misting daily is a great idea seems it’s a tropical plant. I’m going to incorporate that. Thank you for taking the time to help the girl with no idea. 😁🪴

      0 Likes