how well is this orchid doing?

[inbetween]

Hello,
I am thoroughly enjoying my new membership on this board

I have had this orchid for many many years and I want to make sure it's doing as well as it can. Lately, it kind of has been growing out of its pot, and has roots all over the place, but some are all dark brown/black. It has a flower spike. Will it be happier if I repot it in a slightly bigger pot? If I do repot it, should I bring the crown back closer to the pot? Should I be doing something to make it a happier orchid?

[estación seca]

It's doing quite well. You could repot now or you could wait until it's warmer. Many of the roots in the pot may have died from old age, and I suspect the exposed roots represent most of the living roots.

Decide which medium you want to use for this plant, and get everything ready. Many beginners find shallow, wide pots are easier to manage while learning. Use a pot big enough to hold those roots, but not much larger.

Take it out of the old pot and gently remove most of the old medium. I usually don't cut off roots unless they're black and slimy.

Set the plant into the new pot. Fill in around the roots with your new medium, taking care not to break the roots. Water the plant and give your routine care.

Phals in the wild grow sideways on trees. In pots they eventually lean so the leaves drape sideways. This really bothers some people; if it doesn't bother you, it's fine to leave them sideways like this. It keeps water from standing in the crown.

[Paphluvr]

I might add that the base of the lowest leaf should be at the top of the mix after repotting (to answer your question about height) and it would look better with the old flower stems removed (cut close to the plant).

[aliceinwl]

It looks like there are quite a few live roots in the pot. When I repot, the roots always seem to take up more room once I’ve cleaned them up. I’d look for a pot at least an inch wider than what it’s currently in.

Be very conservative about trimming roots. Any roots with alternating live and dead sections are still functional. It’s better to leave on a few dead roots that to accidentally cut a live one.

I found the directions on Repotting Phalaenopsis (Moth) & Other Monopodial Orchids very helpful when I went to repot my first Phalaenopsis. I personally prefer clear pots, however, so that I can see the roots.

[WaterWitchin]

It looks happy to me, just untidy and ready for a new pot. Clip the old dead spikes back to base. You could do that now. I too would wait for warmer weather to repot. Clear pots are easier for those just learning how to grow and bloom. You can always put inside a decorative pot if you want better aesthetic.

Do as Paphluver says and have the base leaf sit at top of media when you repot. When I repot, I leave at the angle as you have now (kind of sideways). As E.S. says, they grow that way in the wild and it helps keep water out of crown (big no-no). Some don't like that look, and want it to be more upright (like you see in a grocery store). If so, make sure not to get water into crown.

You might consider putting some sort of location into your info (like you see on top right of each person's post). It helps others give advice when they know something about the climate in your area. For example, I'm in Kansas... that's a much different climate than desert or SoCal. Even if you don't grow outdoors.

[Tyrfing]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Clear pots are easier for those just learning how to grow and bloom. You can always put inside a decorative pot if you want better aesthetic.

Clear pots are also great for those of us that think that roots looks very nice. Not sure how you think a decorative pot will improve the aesthetic

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Tyrfing

Clear pots are also great for those of us that think that roots looks very nice. Not sure how you think a decorative pot will improve the aesthetic

Perhaps I should have said "different" aesthetic. I have a lot of orchids transferred to S/H and I'm not real crazy about looking at rotting roots. For root aesthetics, always go with a mount.

[inbetween]

I have no problem with it being sideways. I'll do whatever the orchid wants. Glad to hear you guys think this one is happy. I'll just wait until the weather is warmer, which, ahem, here in Boston and for me personally, might mean June For orchid, maybe April?

[WaterWitchin]

Took a couple of pics to demonstrate, just for giggles. These are two phals that were in a funeral arrangement. My girlfriend gave me the arrangement once they finished blooming, as she has a black thumb. I took out the phals, which were growing in the "upright grocery store" style, and repotted them in new media, in the slopping over style. Note the extra root grown showing on the side of first one... a lot of that root will likely eventually dry up, but meanwhile it's headed in the right direction and there's still a lot of root in the pot.

Thought it might be helpful when you repot.

[inbetween]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Took a couple of pics to demonstrate, just for giggles. These are two phals that were in a funeral arrangement. My girlfriend gave me the arrangement once they finished blooming, as she has a black thumb. I took out the phals, which were growing in the "upright grocery store" style, and repotted them in new media, in the slopping over style. Note the extra root grown showing on the side of first one... a lot of that root will likely eventually dry up, but meanwhile it's headed in the right direction and there's still a lot of root in the pot.

Thought it might be helpful when you repot.

Thanks, this helps. I'll model mine after these when I repot.