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EEOS Original Articles |
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The many articles in our Orchid Culture section can solve most of your culture issues. Check them out before submitting a question. |
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AOS Culture Sheets |
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The AOS Culture Sheets are very thorough guides for growing orchids successfully. Read the one pertaining to your kind of orchid before asking a culture question. |
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Ask Your Own Question |
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If the articles and culture sheets in our Orchid Culture section did not solve your problem, feel free to submit your own orchid culture question. |
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(Posted on
February 14, 2004) |
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Question |
| Last weekend I repotted my orchids. Since I couldn't find any of the clay orchid pots I decided to use the wire baskets, lined with coconut fiber and filled with orchid bark, etc. My orchids live outside under a big oak tree. They were previously in clay orchid pots. Have I made a mistake repotting them in the coconut fiber wire baskets? I'm worried about it. Thanks. |
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Carol Jerauld - Ocoee, FL - USA |
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Answer |
| Carol, aside from the fact that it's probably not the best time of the year to repot your orchids, I really don't see a problem with your repotting method. You might want to visit our Orchid Culture section for repotting tips on your particular species. Thanks for the question and for visiting the EEOS web site. |
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Bob Stipe |
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(Posted on July 31, 2003) |
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Question |
| General question: How do I get more baby orchid plants from the original parent plant? Situation: After my one orchid plant (Cymbidium Cooksbridge "Noel") finished blooming, I noticed it was sitting pretty tightly in its pot. In repotting, I gently rocked/pulled away about a third of the mother plant where it naturally separated. I then planted both parts, remaining parent part and now the separated baby part, in each of its own appropriate size pots with fresh orchid bark. Did I do the right thing by reducing the crowding and at the same time got more orchid plants? I got this plant at Walgreen's drug store and I like it, but wonder if orchid plants for sale there are normally cramped in a small pot as usual course? Many thanks....from Jeff, Orchid foster parent. |
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Jeff - San Francisco, CA - USA |
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Answer |
| What you did was increased the number of orchids you own! Yes, growers do like to keep the plants crowded since it saves on labor costs & the orchid looks bigger when placed in a smaller pot. It's all economics and marketing. Some orchids like to be crowded and actually do better if underpotted. Cattleyas, Phals, and Dendrobiums like to be underpotted and the roots quickly fill in the unoccupied spaces. |
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David Schaffter |
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Answer |
| Jeff, what you've done so far sounds good. Since cymbidiums are essentially terrestrial plants, I don't think they need to be crowded. They do need to be kept moist & not allowed to dry out. There is an excellent article on cymbidiums in our Orchid Culture section. Thanks for the question and for visiting the EEOS web site. Happy growing. |
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Bob Stipe |
| I recently visited a friend's house in my area. She has orchids mounted all throughout her tree. She uses little nails to hold them in place. Finally the roots grew around her tree and secured them tightly. They look beautiful in the tree wtihout the pots. I went ahead and did the same thing, but secured them with pins that go on the sides of the plant instead of through them. They look wonderful. My question for you is... can I just let the roots hang or do I need to put moss in them? Will they survive being up there free standing without moss etc.? Thank you. |
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Stephanie - Pembroke Pines, FL - USA |
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Answer |
| Hi, Stephanie.Growing your orchids in trees is a great idea. Many of our members, as well as I, grow a lot of our orchids in trees and they love it as long as they get enough light, nutrients, and water. You don't need to do anything for the roots. They will pretty much take care of themselves. I really don't think much of driving nails into the trees. A much better solution would be to tie them to the tree until the roots grab hold, then you can cut off the ties. Thanks for the question and for visiting the EEOS web site. Happy growing! |
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Bob Stipe |
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Answer |
| Dear Stephanie: It would help the orchid if you supplied a small amount of moss to the roots and tied the bundle of roots & moss next to the tree trunk so when the roots start growing, they adhere to the tree. Check out our Orchid Culture section; I believe there is an in-depth article about attaching orchids to trees. |
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David Schaffter |
| We have an orchid, beautiful blooms every year. Now it has three large shoots drooping and appears in need of some support and may be also repotting. What pot, medium (Bark-Chips Bark or chips of what kind of tree?) and what kind of support stick or Bark wood do I need? This is our first experience of tending Orchid. Please help. Thanks. |
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I.R. Patel - Teeswater, Canada |
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Answer |
| You can go to your local nursery or Home Depot and get their orchid mix medium for repotting orchids. If you have a Phalaenopsis orchid, get the mix for this type of orchid, since it needs a little more moisture around its roots. I like to use the clay orchid pots to grow my orchids in. This allows the roots to 'breathe' and not remain too wet. You might take the plant to a local nursery and have it identified, which will help you determine what type of mix to use. |
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David Schaffter |
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Answer |
| It's hard to tell you what potting medium to use without knowing what type of orchid you have. Take a look at the culture sheets available on this site (both EEOS and AOS sheets) and see if you can identify the genus (or type) of the orchid you have. Follow the instructions for your type of orchid and you will do fine. |
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David Schaffter |
| Hi. My question is about repotting. I need to repot some of my phalaenopsis and I was wondering: what's the best time of the year to do it? If this is not the right time, what do I do with the ones that aren't doing so great in the pots they're in right now? |
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Martha - Miami, FL - USA |
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Answer |
| Dear Martha: The best time to repot any orchid is in the spring, when the temperatures start to warm up and they begin growing in earnest. If you have Phals in bloom, wait until the flowers are done, then repot. Every grower has their own special way of repotting phals. Some use plastic pots, others use clay. There must be 10 different types of medium they can use. My suggestion is to try 3-4 different types and see what works best. I use a standard size clay pot with a layer of styrofoam peanuts in the bottom. Then I wrap the roots of the plant in and around a ball of sphagnum moss/aliflor/bark mix and place it in the pot. Insert some more of this mix around the edges of the pot to make a tight, compact bond. With this medium, I water twice a week and grow in shade in a covered greenhouse. Give orchids plenty of air movement. Check your plants often, to make sure they don't go completely dry or stay too wet. Phals that look poor might not have any live roots. Pull the plant put of the pot & look at the roots. If they look dead, remove the plant from the mix & trim off the dead material. Clean & dip plant in a solution of superthrive & Dithane (fungicide) and repot. Keep warm & shady. You might try learning more about phals from your local orchid club or some friends that grow them. |
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David Schaffter |
| When you repot a cattleya, do you have to remove all the medium from the pot? Since it now has tree fern and/or redwood chips in it, I started using the aliflor believing all I had to do now was to put in a larger pot and add some more aliflor, saving myself a lot of time. What's been your experience? Thanks for your help. |
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Fred - Verplanck, NY - USA |
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Answer |
| In Florida, with all the warmth and humidity, materials seem to break down and decay faster. I always repot my cattleyas once every 2 years unless they are growing over the edge of the pot or else they seem to have a problem, then I'll repot sooner. I mix treefern & bark with the aliflor, at about a 1 to 1 ratio. The aliflor acts like a neutral medium, allowing the organic material to dry faster and facilitate air movement around the roots. I like to start with a clean clay pot and new medium. I think if you try to use the old stuff, it might not last as long and be prone to decay & fungus sooner. |
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David Schaffter |
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