Repotting an Orchid
There are two main reasons for repotting an orchid. First, you have done a wonderful job of caring for your orchid and it has outgrown its pot. Second, you are entering your orchid in an orchid show; and the show requires a certain type of pot.
Reason 1 - Your Orchid Has Outgrown Its Pot
It is always best to repot an orchid after it is done blooming and before it enters into its active growth phase. This approach does not affect any blooms the orchid may have and allows the new root growth to occur in the new pot.
Once an orchid has stopped blooming, it can be removed from its pot and repotted in a larger one. Try to pick a new pot that is just larger than the original one. Bigger is not necessarily better. I have found that using a pot that is too big will cause the orchid to spend all its energy producing enough roots to fill the new pot. It does very little growing above the ground or blooming during this time. I have included repotting instructions below that can be snipped and printed for reference. The numbered photos below the instructions correspond to the numbers in the written instructions.
Feel free to contact me via email at [email protected] if you have any additional questions.
Once an orchid has stopped blooming, it can be removed from its pot and repotted in a larger one. Try to pick a new pot that is just larger than the original one. Bigger is not necessarily better. I have found that using a pot that is too big will cause the orchid to spend all its energy producing enough roots to fill the new pot. It does very little growing above the ground or blooming during this time. I have included repotting instructions below that can be snipped and printed for reference. The numbered photos below the instructions correspond to the numbers in the written instructions.
Feel free to contact me via email at [email protected] if you have any additional questions.
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Reason 2 - Over-Potting An Orchid
“Over-potting” is when you place your orchid in a show-acceptable pot that is just slightly larger than the one it is potted in. Use stones or gravel in the bottom of the bigger pot to add weight and keep the orchid from tipping over. Then, gently stuff sphagnum moss or orchid media around the sides to cover up the smaller pot. For all intents and purposes, the orchid will look like its potted in the larger pot without disturbing the blooms. No matter how careful you are, repotting an orchid that is blooming will have a negative effect on the blooms. I have included an image below that can be snipped and printed, if needed.
Mounting An Orchid
Orchids don't have to just sit in their pots; they can become fun, focal points in your home. One way to do this is to remove them from their pots and mount them in or on another media.
Similar to repotting, it is always best to mount an orchid after it is done blooming and before it enters into its active growth phase. This approach does not affect any blooms the orchid may have and encourages new root growth that will aid the orchid to attach to its new surface. I have included mounting instructions below that can be snipped and printed for reference. The numbered photos below the instructions correspond to the numbers in the written instructions.
Feel free to contact me via email at [email protected] if you have any additional questions.
Similar to repotting, it is always best to mount an orchid after it is done blooming and before it enters into its active growth phase. This approach does not affect any blooms the orchid may have and encourages new root growth that will aid the orchid to attach to its new surface. I have included mounting instructions below that can be snipped and printed for reference. The numbered photos below the instructions correspond to the numbers in the written instructions.
Feel free to contact me via email at [email protected] if you have any additional questions.
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Dividing an Orchid
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Orchids that have sympodial growth patterns will eventually out grow their pots and become quite large. The advantage of these types of orchids is that when they become large enough, they can be divided into two orchids.
Sympodial orchids can grow in one of two different ways. The Oncidium orchid on the top right has a circular growth pattern. It will grow in any direction and often puts out more than one new shoot during each growth phase. This type of growth makes it very easy to divide because you can essentially just cut it down the middle. Because its rhizome put outs new growth in any direction, each new orchid should have unused nodes with meristem cells on its portion of the rhizome that will produce new plant growth. The Cattleya orchid on the lower right has a linear growth pattern. Its older pseudobulbs are on one end of the rhizome and its new growth is on the other. It will produce one new shoot each growth phase. When divided, the new orchid plant with the new growth area will continue to grow. The new orchid plant with the old growth area may or may not continue to grow. This all depends upon whether or not there are unused nodes on the old rhizome that will begin to grow once the plant is divided. |
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If you have a healthy orchid with sympodial growth, you will probably need to divide it at some point. The instructions below explain how to divide an orchid with a circular sympodial growth. Once divided, follow the above instructions for repotting. I have included mounting instructions below that can be snipped and printed for reference. The numbered photos below the instructions correspond to the numbers in the written instructions.
Feel free to contact me via email at [email protected] if you have any additional questions.
Feel free to contact me via email at [email protected] if you have any additional questions.
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