How to repot orchid with 20cm of air roots

[purplemushroom18]

I've had this orchid for 6 years - see photo. Sorry don't know the variety. I'm sure this would benefit from repotting but I don't know what to do with all the air roots. Can I bury them? Do I need to repot in a very tall pot? Can I cut off old roots?

Help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance.

P.S. the plant is in a clear pot, inside the purple pot.

[signin1234]

You can bury aerial roots as long as you are gentle about it. To quote Kellee Patterson, if it don't fit, don't force it.

As far as your options go since there's no emergency making a repot necessary immediately, I would wait to repot until spring when days are longer and temperatures are warmer.

In terms of how to go about repotting, personally I would chop off a good sized portion of the lower "trunk" with a clean, sharp cutting tool. After that, I'd dust it with cinnamon or sulfur powder and allow it to dry over night. Then I'd repot in a pot that's just barely large enough to accommodate most of the remaining root mass.

If you have access to a tall enough pot, and to clarify you'll want something akin to a tall but narrow pot like a Cymbidium pot, and the bottom portion of the plant is perfectly healthy, then you can go that route if that's your preference. You may need to modify the pot to add extra aeration and/or switch up your watering routine to account for the need to let things dry out a bit in the middle of the pot.

This might also be a candidate for a hydroponic set-up. Just clean off all the potting mix and plop it down into a glass container with a bit of water in the bottom and let it do what it wants to do.

[purplemushroom18]

Thank you @signin1234 for the super quick reply!

I'll muse over your ideas but am favouring chopping off some of the root to bring back the orchid to a more sensible height.

As you say no rush, so a job I can save until the spring.

[Roberta]

Don't chop healthy roots.(Those are why the plant is doing so well) If there is dead stuff at the bottom that can be trimmed. But choose the pot to fit the plant, don't hack the plant to fit the pot (which has a good chance of killing it) ... don't "punish" it for growing well! Since those roots have clearly adapted to growing (and getting moisture from) the air, you should use rather large bark or other medium to fill in the (probably fairly large, tall) pot to continue to give them lots of air.

[fishmom]

Another hint, to go with Roberta's excellent advice: When you get ready to repot, take the whole plant and soak it in a bucket/pan of water or kelp fertilizer mixture. The roots will be more pliable that way, and easier to manipulate down into the chosen pot. Then do your required trimming of dead roots and put the live ones into the medium you are using. You will minimize shock and get the plant off to a good start.

[Orchidking]

the plant would do fine with half those roots missing, better with but that is not why I wouldn't cut the lower stem. I would not cut the stem because a cut in the root zone can be a weak spot for pathogens to get into the plant.

Cutting leaves is fine as long as the cut can dry out. Removing roots is fine but cutting into the stem can easily lead to problems

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by fishmom

Another hint, to go with Roberta's excellent advice: When you get ready to repot, take the whole plant and soak it in a bucket/pan of water or kelp fertilizer mixture. The roots will be more pliable that way, and easier to manipulate down into the chosen pot. Then do your required trimming of dead roots and put the live ones into the medium you are using. You will minimize shock and get the plant off to a good start.

To add to this... once the roots are a bit pliable (Phal roots won't get soft) you can gently work them into the pot with a twisting motion.

The more roots the better... orchids don't grow new roots like a rose bush or potted tree, they grow slowly. So you don't want to cut anything healthy if you can possibly avoid it.(Orchidking is correct, that can spread pathogens... and also stresses the plant) Cutting the dead stem below the live roots and removing totally dead roots is OK... but do follow good hygiene procedures - sterilize your cutting tool (flame is best) or use single-use single edge razor blade and discard.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by purplemushroom18

Can I bury them? Do I need to repot in a very tall pot? Can I cut off old roots

I can link this through ---- may be helpful. Click Here

There is a passage that says "As for new roots, they can appear up the stem below older leaves closer to the bottom. They can either grow into the medium or become "aerial", meaning they get moisture from the environment. Some remove the aerial roots but even if unappealing to look at they do serve a function. Debated, unproven, that aerial roots most likely develop if the Phal. is in a high-humid environment. If it isn't broke, don't fix it."

[rbarata]

Probably the lower area of the plant is already dead.

[Bobj.]

Another idea; cut through the stem. Make sure that the cutting tool is sterile. This way, in about a month, you will/should have 2 plants.

https://youtube/JtNhQimR9LQ

Cheers, Bobj.