Hay I recently bought an orchid, its my first one ever and I have no idea what to do, the soil it came in is like bricks, and there are some roots sticking out the top is this good/normal? Also the pot is tiny. So do I repot in a bigger pot or leave it how it is?
The yellow roots make be a sign of black rot I would cut those off before it spreads to the whole Orchid and transfer pots
1 LikeYou need a proper orchid pot if you are going to transfer/repot. And orchid compost, which is like pieces of bark. All quite cheap on Amazon
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First off - welcome to the orchid habit! I love Phalanopsis orchids. They are a fairly forgiving plant. The roots tend to be unruly and often poke out of the media. I do see some dead roots (the withered and papery roots). Not ideal but also not uncommon on a new plant. Check the roots in the media. Healthy roots are firm and green when wet, silvery when dry. Dead roots are papery or mushy, black or brown. If most are healthy, I would let it complete the current bloom cycle. If you see a lot of dead or dying roots, I would repot it now. You risk the flowers dropping prematurely but it’s worth the risk. And the “brick” like material you mentioned has me concerned. Orchid roots don’t like a dense media. When you get ready 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 dead or dying roots. 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. If possible use an orchid pot with additional ventilation. They are typically clear 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. You might be able to reuse the pot it’s currently in. Typically you want to use a similar mix to what it currently is in to minimize transplant shock. But since I am not really sure what it is, I would repot your plant using a mix of 50% sphagnum 50% bark. That will allow moisture to hang around long enough for the roots to take in what they want without cutting off air circulation. 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. 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). Be careful to not get any water in the crown. Put your plant in in 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. 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. Good luck!
5 Likes Thank you so much!
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