Orchid Repotting When And How To Repot An Orchid Plant

1. When should you repot orchids?
2. How do you repot an orchid for beginners?
3. How do you repot orchids in orchid pots?
4. When should you split and repot an orchid?
5. Should my orchid roots be exposed?
6. Do orchids outgrow their pots?
7. Can I put an orchid in potting soil?
8. How long do orchids live for?
9. Do orchids need clear pots?
10. What potting mix is used for orchids?
11. What does dead orchid roots look like?
12. What do you do with air roots when repotting orchids?
13. How do I take a cutting from an orchid?
14. How do you get an orchid to bloom again?
15. What do you do with an orchid after the blooms fall off?
16. What do orchid roots look like?
17. How do orchids like to be potted?
18. How often should you water an orchid?

When should you repot orchids?

Orchids generally need to be repotted once a year. The best time to repot is just after flowering, or when new growth appears. You'll know it's time to repot if any of these reasons apply to you: Your orchid has tightly tangled roots.

How do you repot an orchid for beginners?

How to Re-Pot an Orchid:

1. Start by looking for new growth – your cue to repot.
2. Next, select a pot based on the orchid's root volume & growing environment.
3. Always use high-quality potting media.
4. Then, gently unpot the orchid.
5. Carefully inspect & clean the roots.
6. Finally, work in the orchid's roots & the potting mix.

How do you repot orchids in orchid pots?

Gently pull the pot away from the plant and wash off the roots. Use sharp scissors to cut off any brown or rotting roots. Fill the new planter with the soaked potting medium and place the plant so that the base is right at the top of the medium. Use a chopstick to help push bits of planting medium in between the roots.

When should you split and repot an orchid?

Usually the best time to re-pot and divide orchids is after the flower starts to finish and it looks daggy. October/November is an ideal time. Orchids like some rough treatment. Bang the pot on the side to remove the plants and then pull it apart.

Should my orchid roots be exposed?

According to orchid experts, you should definitely not remove the roots. There's a good chance you'll harm the plant or introduce a dangerous virus. ... (Some orchid pros think that a perlite/peat mix is less likely to produce aerial roots than bark.) Either way, don't cover the roots because they may rot.

Do orchids outgrow their pots?

Orchid roots like air and will rot if kept soggy and wet. ... Moth orchids can outgrow their pots in about a year's time as their wandering roots reach outside and above the edge of the containers. Mature plants usually flower from late winter into spring and their blossoms can last for several months.

Can I put an orchid in potting soil?

Orchids require a different type of potting medium than what our typical houseplants do. ... They are therefore potted in normal potting soil. To pot an orchid in this kind of soil would ultimately suffocate its roots and kill the plant because soil cannot provide the needed airflow to the roots to survive.

How long do orchids live for?

With good care and regular maintenance, an orchid plant may live for a lifetime — 100 years, or more.

Do orchids need clear pots?

For orchids grown in pots we must be extra careful not to rot or smother the roots. Because obtaining a good moisture balance is so very critical to optimal orchid care many orchid growers choose clear orchid pots so that it is easier to see when the roots are thriving and when they are not.

What potting mix is used for orchids?

Every orchid grower seems to have his own ideas about what makes the perfect orchid potting mix. For example, horticulturalists at the University of Tennessee recommend a Phalaenopsis potting mix that is 3 parts fir bark, 1 part perlite and 1 part chopped sphagnum moss.

What does dead orchid roots look like?

Look for dead roots that are dried out or soggy and brown. ... If the outer skin of the root slips off to reveal a brown root or stringy thread root, it is dead. Cut dead roots from the orchid plant with a sterilized blade, removing them completely. These roots may have been under- or overwatered, or they may just be old.

What do you do with air roots when repotting orchids?

When repotting an orchid, just let the aerial roots be as they are. There's no need to stick them inside the pot with the other roots. If you tried to do that they would probably break anyway, as they can't handle much bending.

How do I take a cutting from an orchid?

From stem cuttings: These can be taken from many Dendrobium orchids. Cut off a stem up to 30cm (1ft) long and cut it up into 7-10cm (3-4in) sections, with at least one dormant bud on each section. Place the cuttings in a tray of damp sphagnum moss, and keep them humid and shaded.

How do you get an orchid to bloom again?

So put your orchid in a room that gets a little cold by the window—and put your orchid in the window. When the sun goes down, the heat will drop and the cold will stimulate it to re-bloom.

What do you do with an orchid after the blooms fall off?

After the flowers drop from the orchid you have three choices: leave the flower spike (or stem) intact, cut it back to a node, or remove it entirely. Remove the flower spike entirely by clipping it off at the base of the plant. This is definitely the route to take if the existing stem starts to turn brown or yellow.

What do orchid roots look like?

Orchid roots have rounded green tips. As roots grow, they are covered with a protective substance that gives them a whitish or silvery appearance. ... Flower spikes are usually greener than roots and have a flatter, mitten-shaped tip. While growing, spikes remain green along their full length.

How do orchids like to be potted?

Most orchids do prefer shallower squat pots, as their roots don't like all the moisture retained in deep pots and they just don't need the depth anyway as their roots spread out, not down.

How often should you water an orchid?

While each growing environment is unique, and watering habits vary from person to person, it is generally a good idea to water about once per 7-10 days, when the mix gets dry. Too much watering leads to root rot, crown rot and other over watering problems like fungus gnat infestations.