I am not that sure of the fertilizer part, but I think that for orchids in general the best time to repot is in the Spring, after the blooms fall. It may seem like the flowers last a long time, but in my opinion, they don't last long enough! It should be done flowering in a month at least? I am not sure on this; I would be happy if some one could confirm/correct.

It would also be nice if you could post some pictures, that way we could verify whether or not the plant really needs repotting! Age alone is not an indication of the need to pot.

Here is also something that might help you with your fertilizing:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1526701/fertilizing-orchids?n=14

You can find much more, of course, if you search more into this forum. As you can see in the initial post, this particular grower starts out with a strict schedule, finally progressing to fertilizing whenever he 'feels' his orchids need it. Both methods work fine, as you can see from the post. Do what you have to!

Good luck!

~palmsandsnow

Thank you palmsandsnow I will have a read of your link. I have uploaded some photos. They have been in bloom for 5 months now and I think they're looking well.

Many thanks

Oh wow, 5 months!?!? I have never had an orchid bloom that long! Maybe I was doing something wrong...

Anyway, they look like very healthy plants! Good job!

They all look great! I don't really fertilize my orchids at all. A few times a year I'll remember. I don't when they're blooming, in case it might disrupt something. Still, that could be overcautious.

One thing I noticed in your photo that I would remedy soon: there appears to be real soil in the pots, at the bottom. Orchids do not grow in soil, and when the roots reach that, they'll start to rot. Orchid roots need air around them. This could be why there's so many roots growing outside of the growing medium. Just use bark. No soil.

Thank you palmsandsnow and Dannie317, I wasn't sure how long they would bloom for, last year I had 3 flowers on the white one there would of been a few more but I fertilised them this time last year while they were starting to flower and some dropped off, they also didn't last long. I had no blooms on the purple one, hence why I'm looking to see if I should or just leave fertilising for now. Being a newbie I wasn't sure if they should flower every year. I was surprised to have flowers again so soon on the white one as it did flower earlier in the year last year. The picture does look like soil but they are in all bark. Thank you both for your advice.

FWIW, I water/fertilize my potted phals weekly following the orchid fertilizer manufacturer's directions. Once every 4 weeks I use straight water to flush them of any built up chemicals. If using non-orchid fertilizer, I cut it back by @ 1/2 and still flush once every 4 weeks.

The best time to repot is when new roots are growing, in the US it's usually spring for phals. If the orchid is in distress go ahead and repot ASAP. That said, as long as you are repotting into the same type of media, my opinion and experience is that you can pretty much repot a phal at any time. Stay with 'when new roots appear' for the dend though (if it is a nobile, I'd think spring also, but I don't grow nobiles)

Good luck,

Bob

I completely agree with Westoh. Repot when roots begin to grow despite the flowers. I have Phals which have been in bloom since November. They need repotting and I will repot in the next few weeks. I am in Florida so growth begins earlier than in the Northern regions.

If I wait for flowers to fade, I lose the opportune time to repot. Frankly, we've enjoyed the flowers for months, now its time to let the plants grow for the blooms next winter.

I do fertilize at 1/2 strength when blooming. I fertilize at each watering.

Jane

Thank you Bob and Jane your advice is very much appreciated

Yep, weakly weekly is my motto....after all, would you like to go on a diet for months, and then binge ? :)

Phals have no real dormancy, so should be fed to fuel growth. Apparently your nobile (which does have a dormancy) is doing well as well.

Your flowers look lovely by the way.

Thank you dbarron I'm going to try a weak feed with the water once a week. They have been having just water once a week a bit longer over the winter but I have increased back to once a week now.

You can repot your phals 3 times a day and they won't mind, however your den nobile just does not like to have its roots disturbed and they like to be under potted. if the pot that it is in has a drainage hole, than leave it as is unless the media is breaking down and turning to mush. Second item is that dens need way more light than phals to grow and bloom properly, so if you can bump up the brightness, am sure your plant would appreciate it, just do so gradually. As far as fertilizing, if you see active growing leads than they need food on a regular basis. Here is a picture of one of my dendrobiums from days past

Thank you Ben I haven't repotted my dendrobrium since I purchased it, I have had 2 lots of flowers on it since I bought it so it might be time to repot, there are new shoots coming up for a new stem so will start fertilising. I wasn't sure about fertilising last year as I did but the roots turned a brown colour that could also be down to poor media. It did grow new white roots, I stopped fertilising just in case. When would the best time be to repot it? It is in great bloom at the moment with more buds about to open and a new stem growing.

Your flowers are a beautiful colour. I purchased a pink one last year the flowers died off end of last year so no blooms this year but plenty of growing just now. I might repot that just now as I don't know how long it's been in that pot it came in.

Many thanks for your advice.

Yes, and yes. You got it!

Jane