Please help! Has my orchid outgrow her pot? What's the next step?
 

Hi everybody :)

My beautiful orchid, that I love, seems to be that it has outgrown her pot? She has been with me for a few years now, without flowers for a long time, but now she has surprised us with some gorgeous beauties! that are growing low. Does that matter? Shall I try to bring the flowers up in any way? ( I just give her lots of love, but I don't really know the techinal taking care of her)

My most important question is , has she overgrown her pot? Are those spikes her roots reaching out everywhere ? If so, how would I transplant her? How do I handle the roots? Or if they are something else , please point me on the right direction !

I highly appreciate any help and tips anyone can give me!

I thank you kindly,
lasofi :)

:welcomeflowers:
Aerial roots are fine. If your orchid had never been repotted, it would be a good idea to do so. You can wait until blooms are finished. Many Phals don't miss a beat getting repotted while in bloom , but some may drop all flowers.

It may or may not need a bigger pot. The pot should be just large enough that you can fit the roots in without difficulty.

I'll add, don't try to force the aerial roots into the pot when you repot. For one thing, you're more likely to snap them off or break them open. Plus, they've adapted to growing in open air, when you stick them in the pot, they're prone to rotting.

I agree. The plant may or may not need a bigger pot, but it would definitely be a good idea to repot when the flowers are gone. See if the roots are heathly, if the potting mix is broken down, and get it in some mix.

Your plant looks very healthy and happy there in its pot. The roots you see hanging over are called Arial roots and they need to always be left outside of the potting mixture like they are now. They will collect water that is in the air and feed the orchid. The green tips you see on the ends of each of the Arial roots tell you your plant is healthy and is happy.

When you are ready to repot make sure you get a bark orchid mix and not a potting soil mix that has dirt in it. As orchids like the bark or coarser mix.

Your pot should have holes in the bottom so your orchid does not sit in water at all and drains through the mix.

Phals like to cool off in the fall for a few weeks and that is what sends out the spikes so your orchid will later bloom for you. This may be why your orchid didn't bloom for you till now.

Thank you very much for all the very helpful information!

I didn't know until now of the existence of aerial roots, now that I knot it's fine , and that my orchid is happy, I feel very good leaving her the way it is for now.

I will look into letting her to cool off as well during the winter like suggested :)

Thanks again!

Care sheet here: https://www.aos.org/Default.aspx?id=217

Lots of good info in this thread http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ad.php?t=44792

Ask six different people and get seven different answers! :rofl: Aerial roots are an indication of the plant looking for a new environment, in this case a bigger pot and fresh mix. I have always gently twisted my aerial roots back into whatever size slightly larger pot which will comfortably hold them fairly securely. No rot..ever.

If you think about it, if aerial roots did not want to go back into a fresh mix, can you explain why a pot of untended roots from one pot on a bench keep crawling into the pots next to them? hmmmm? Roots adapt.

As I said, ask six different people and get seven different answers! Absolutely read the reference Sonja gave you! It should answer many of your basic questions.