Phalaenopsis roots - mostly

[annie1931]

1. I have had this one for three years, it is sending up its fourth bloom spike. It has big fat healthy roots growing straight up, it has fat and not so fat roots growing down into the humidifying water at the base of the pot creating a rather snake-pit sight. To repot, I would have to cut off most of those roots. As the plant seems to be happily sending up spikes, I would rather just leave things as they are. I have read another member's very useful post about roots, but am still having problems with the set up in here and how one responds to a particular post..

oh, the photo appears after submission!

[billc]

Hi Annie and welcome! Your phal looks beautiful. You don't 'have to' cut off the roots. You can cut or break the pot and put the plant into a pot that will fit the root mass. The aerial roots can be left as they are, they are getting humidity from the surrounding air, and look to be happy as they are. The roots are a bit pliable so you can bend them a little.(Just a little)
If your plant has been in the mix for 3 years, you may want to think about repotting it when you see new root growth. You can tell you have new root growth if the tips of the roots are green, not silver.

Bill

[annie1931]

Bill, I'd like to know if I can trim off some of the skinny roots and some that are going down into the snakepit at the bottom. There are quite a few wrinkly old ones all over the top. Repotting is not a viable activity - no way will I break the pot, so I think Blanche will just have to survive. She may break the pot herself, though, just with pushy roots.

[WhiteRabbit]

If the roots are dried up and dead, yes, snip them off. The healthy growing aerial roots I would leave.

As for repotting - you can soak the pot for an hour or more to soften the roots a bit - you can probably get it out of the pot more easily then. A few may break - but since it seems you have awesome root growth, it shouldn't be a problem. You can certainly wait until the plant has finished blooming

[orchidsamore]

You can cut off some roots on a healthy plant without stressing the plant too much. It is done all the time with regular garden plants and orchids are really no different.

Shriveled roots are dead already so remove anything that you do not like how they look is fine.

When cutting healthy roots to make the plant more attractive go ahead and do it, but not too many too fast. One or two and see how it takes that for a couple of months.

You would be shocked how many roots are cut commercially before a plant is sold. But from experience we can estimate how the plant will react. We lose very few, but you do not want to risk your baby. Take it slow.

[annie1931]

thank you, if I had room for a larger pot, I'd do that! My space is minimalist beyond words.

[WhiteRabbit]

Well you don't necessarily need to pot to a bigger size if the roots still fit in your current size - but the plant would benefit from fresh media And if it doesn't fit you only need an inch or two larger pot - just big enough for the roots to fit in as well as some fresh media

[annie1931]

Thank you - I will snip the palest and most withered-looking, and be very careful. I'm afraid I must admit to calling the plant Blanche, and her new spike is now about 6 cm long and almost a cm in diameter. Maybe tomorrow I can put in a photo of the 'downward root business and you might advise about it. Thanks again.