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I’ve had a phalaenopsis for over 3 years, it blooms nicely for me… | The Orchid Oasis | Planta community

Andrea A

I’ve had a phalaenopsis for over 3 years, it blooms nicely for me several times a year. It is in a clear orchid pot in orchid bark and is watered and fertilized properly. It has gotten too big! Roots coming out the bottom of the pot, and the whole thing is growing sideways I think because it is pushing itself out of the pot. It is already in a 17 cm pot and I can’t find any bigger ones. What recommendations have you? Just leave it? Trim down roots so it fits better? I don’t really want it in a pot that isn’t clear, then I can’t see when it needs water. Thanks!

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10 comments

  1. Waspinator

    You could tame that by propagating it. You have so much root that it should be easy to get 2 or 3 new starts out if it. If you don't want to cut it though, I'd suggest getting a moss pole or decorative log and training it to grow as an epiphyte. You'd start by tying it on and the roots would cling to the surface as it grows. That way it could get as big as it wants without needing any more repots, and you could still see the roots well. Also that is the happiest phal I've ever seen

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    • Andrea A

      Great suggestions and that is so sweet to hear! I’ve been pretty proud of myself for keeping it blooming several times a year, but it’s my first phal so I’ve been learning as I go.

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  2. Laura B

    Have you checked Amazon for big clear pots? I know it’s hard to find “clear orchid pots” in a larger size but there should be options for plain clear pots. There are lots of ceramic and wood orchid pots, so while you can really take them out to inspect the roots, they will receive tons of airflow and come in larger sizes.

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    • Andrea A

      I live in Sweden and the selection on Amazon is pretty poor here. But good suggestion to look for non-clear orchid pots, I’ll explore that

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    • Laura B

      Ahh that makes sense. Good luck to you!

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    • Jen

      I believe repotme.com ships to your area- check them out for excellent quality orchid specific pots.

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  3. Llets

    Go to your local dollar/cheap store, buy a cheap clear Tupperware or some sort of plastic bowl/container that is a little larger than your pot. Poke plenty of holes in the bottom and around the sides at the bottom for drainage. Works great!

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  4. Llets

    Or do this.. driftwood, some sphagnum moss and fishing line or twine to wrap around the wood to hold in place until it starts to grow onto the wood. I done this with two of my discounted rescues from a big box store.

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    • Andrea A

      I like this idea. Two Q’s: 1) where do you get suitable driftwood? (What actually would be suitable?), and 2) how do you water it?

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  5. Jen

    You’ll find that the older a phal gets, the more of the lower part of the stem, (where older leaves have dropped,) will just start to die off. It dries out and gets kind of woody. When you repot, you can trim away some of the dead portion- so that the newer roots are closer to the fresh new media. If you choose to go that route but are nervous about cutting the base of your orchid, come back for a little more guidance. Happy to talk more about it.

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