Hello and questions about repotting
 

Hello,
I am a lurker who finally has taken the plunge! *I live in the Pacific Northwest and am a windowsill grower with aspirations of a small leanto greenhouse...one day...

I have a collection of about 20 phals and paphs and a couple cymbidiums and phrags. *My oldest orchid is about 3 years old.

I am hoping someone can help me with a repotting question. This spring was the first time I braved repotting - I was super nervous about it, but my orchids, especially the oldest clearly needed it. So, I repotted and everyone seems pretty happy: lots of new leaf growth. Here is the lead up to my question: there was one paph (a mottled leaf type) that was in bloom until just last week, and I didnt repot it with all the others. Plus, I just bought two new phals from a local nursery (one large flowering, one multiflora), which are in moss (I decided to repot all of my orchids into a well draining bark mix as I have a tendency to, well, smother my orchids with kindness in our drab winter months). I am wondering if I should repot them now, or wait until next spring? I would say the growing season here in PNW is on the downward side, which is why I am hesitating. I am hoping someone with more experience can give me some guidance?

Many thanks in advance, and I hope this post wasnt too mind-numbingly detailed for an intro post!

:hello:waving
:welcomeflowers:
glad you found us!

I'm usually on the side of repotting, when in doubt - I always repot new plants (after blooming if they were in bloom, unless I'm concerned for the plant, then I repot immediately)

Phals especially don't seemed bothered by repotting whenever ;) But I can't say I've really had any problems repotting plants whether or not there is new growth. I have a basic assortment - Catts, Onc, Dens, Cyms, a few small Vandaceous types - in my experience, Dens can resent repotting, so I do try to wait for new growth with them, but I will always repot a new plant, especially if I am unsure about the media (how old it may be)

gl!

Weaver - First off WELCOME!!! Glad you went from lurker to member.

If the Paph hasn't been repotted in three years, you definately want to repot it now, Paphs do not like stale broken down medium. As to the Phals, considering that they are in moss and you will not be disturbing or damaging the roots much, I would also go ahead and repot them.

hi and welcome! glad you made it to the talkative stage, lol....i would repot, that paph sounds like it needs new medium, and it wont hurt the phals a bit to repot while they bloom....you are doing good, and send pics of your collection! join right in!

Wow! Thank you all so much for your responses! Ok. Repot it is.

I havent watered the new phals since bringing them home and one of them is STILL sopping wet, so I think new medium in there will do it a world of good. I am a bit nervous of what I will find in that wet pot, but better to find out now, than later.

Thanks again for the words of encouragement! I will see if I can figure out things like posting pics in the next few days.

Update: i just went to my potting bench and repotted that sopping wet phal I mentioned above. Holy cow! You wouldnt believe what I found...well, maybe you would. The outer layer was wet (green with algea) moss. Inside that was a second pot, with roots growing out of it. The moss inside there was soggy too. I had to do some major cutting on the inside pot to try and save the roots. Most of them made it, but I did have to cut one that I just couldnt get out of the inside pot holes without damaging it. What a mess! So, again, many thanks for the good advice. I cant imagine that phal would have been very happy like it was...

Hello and welcome to the OB!
This link may be helpful for posting pictures: http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ng-photos.html
Joann

Weaver - Not to worry you are in good shape. Keep up the good work.

:hello

Good save! Your phal will reward you!

Welcome to Orchid Board :welcome:

Sounds like you did the right thing to repot that soggy one. Definitely better off in a well draining medium.