Ruby , You might be in Alaska, or Florida or? The advice will differ. Needs a pot on to a larger pot. Do not worry it is a tough orchid. Potting material might differ according to the growing conditions you can provide

I live in KY. Have west facing window with lots and lots of sunlight. I am going to probably do mix of medium and fine pine/fir bark (orchiata medium pine bark and other brand fine fir bark).

This does not have any new growth yet and I just cut off the spike....I know this isn't ideal potting time....but I just can't stand not changing media for newly arrived plants!

I don't want to damage it too bad but it will be impossible not to damage a lot of its root system untangling it and removing spagnum.

rubyjchang, If I might, let me throw out two suggestions......In KY, in a west facing window, I would not expose the Onc. to any direct (unfiltered) sunlight before about 5:PM. It would actually prefer to be outside in light shade this time of the year, but if you can't, or don't want to do that, no full sunshine before 5PM.

Second, I would not use pine bark in any orchid mix. Most orchids really do not like pine bark at all.

Bill

Hi Bill, thank you for your suggestions. I will have half opened blinds so there won't be super bright unfiltered sun.

The pine bark I use is orchiata bark. I think it is made for orchids. I have read that pine bark is not good for orchids but it seems that orchiata is ok.

Orchiata is perfect, might mix a little sphag with it. This is the perfect time to repot! It's Springtime when all plants are starting their growths.

You are right on time!

Jane

I had the same issue with my onc. Nick suggested pot in a pot which is what I did and I'm pleased with the result.

In ancient times Fir Bark was used here but then it became very expensive, so orchid growers switched to treated Radiata Pine Bark.

Arthurm, I also am in a quandary. From the very beginning of my orchid growing Fir bark was the staple ingredient in orchid potting mixes. Several years ago Fir bark began to be more expensive and hard to get and the company I was affiliated with (worked for them twice after retiring from USN) started using a peat based mix for potting Phalaenopsis. I have never gotten accustomed to that change, and am dreading repotting my one plant that I have in it.

I am now being told that the loggers are cutting the Fir trees much younger than they used to, and the bark is no longer suitable for potting orchids.......???

My source of potting mix has now shifted to a mix that is primarily shredded Cedar wood.....??? I have a small box of that, and have been so reluctant to use it that I have not yet opened the box. I am told that it carries much more water than Fir mixes, and has a tendency to compact.

At my old age I really do not want to have to learn how to grow orchids all over again, but.......The times they are a changing!!!!

Bill

Bill, there are some 90 orchid societies here in NSW, Australia and when Fir Bark became unavailable Treated Radiata Pine Bark became the base ingredient used in orchid mixes. Not enough Oak Leaves, Tree-fern, Horse Manure etc. etc for large collections and eucalyptus bark is useless. In tropical places the treated bark tends to be replaced by Lava Rock etc.

Orchiata is treated Radiata Pine Bark from NZ.

arthurm, Thanks for tat last line......I was going to ask. Had never heard of Radiata Pine, and being an old ex Nuclear Submarine Sailor, all sorts of things were going through my mind.....☺☺.

My guess is that would also be cost prohibitive here in the USA.

We have tons, and tons of Loblolly, and Long Leaf Pine in this area, but everyone says the orchids do not like the sap residue in it. Guess I will eventually give my Cypress wood a try. The greenhouse I once worked for is using it, and their head grower has told me it is OK, but the jury is still out.

Bill

Bill, Pinus radiata has a common name of Monterey Pine. According to the University of Google it is endangered in its Native habitat.

One guy who has a huge collection of orchids used to treat a trailer-load of bark. Not worth the trouble of chopping up, boiling, soaking, etc to tame the sap residue and to get the lumps into usable sizes.

A 30 litre bag of bark will fill a lot of orchid pots and it is pretty cheap here. Sorry about the metric. Let's say it is a big bag of bark.

But not quite so big as a 30 gallon bag.....☺☺☺ Thanks.

Bill

Folks, I’m not sure what all this conversation is about treated pinus radiata bark is about. I buy Orchiata bark (trademark name) made from New Zealand’s pinus radiata trees — it isn’t treated if you mean chemically though it’s aged to get rid of pathogens but not composted which causes it to break down too fast. I have it in pots 3 years — and it looks brand new — still firm. It is 99% bark (the outer part of the tree) — you don’t want the inner part of a tree (like is used for lumber) because it will just rot down too fast. Orchiata bark is approve by the American Orchid Society and has been in use the Japanese for decades.

And I don’t know of anyone (at least in the US) that puts their phals in peat moss. Decades and decades ago, we could get German peat (I believe it was called white peat) but it isn’t anything like Canadian peat moss you use in the garden to lower pH for hollies, azaleas, etc. I wish we could get it but it’s just too cost prohibitive for the amount to ship here. It was nice and chunky. My favorite was osmunda but that’s ship has sailed. On the fir bark like redwood, even cedar and cypress — when it was really in use decades and decades ago (think 60-100+ years ago) there was still some old growth around which was very dense. For anyone who has ever gotten their hands on these old woods and compared it to a piece of new — you get the difference. Even pine lumber from 40-50+ years ago — was heavier than the stuff we get today. Those old big trees had been growing several hundred years. It’s like white oak was used to build most boats — but the oak of today has the same issue — too light, not dense enough and rots easy. Note Orchiata was owned by the Besgrow company in NZ and is now owned by Daltons. It look on the website and you will see what grades they are — the fine and medium stuff is for seedlings or more terrestrial orchids. I use power plus and or super for my cattleyas.Super for my vandas, and power or power plus for my Phals. I like coarse to be able to water often and not rot roots and I have mine in net baskets. The recommendation is too not mix stuff like other bark or sphagnum because it will breakdown in 6-12 months and then you have wasted the Orchiata which should last 7-10 years. It is initially pH adjusted with pulverized limestone but you need to add more in about 6 months. This is the only bark I have used that you don’t need to soak — can use it right out of the bag as long as it’s fairly fresh and stored correctly. It shouldn’t be stored in the floor or the ground nor sit around for several years. If you soak before hand, you will soak the limestone off. Bark must be pH adjusted because it is about 4 pH (gets lower the older and more broke down it gets) and orchids want around 6-6.5 and not below 5.5.