Help with my 1st Phalaenopsis?

6 years ago

Hi! I'm a long-time houseplant grower but this Phal is my first orchid. I've had it about 2.5 years and it has bloomed profusely for me since I bought it, so it must like the conditions I give it. I use a VERY weak solution of (5-10-5) Miracle Gro for my indoor plants, so that's what the Phal gets too.

The poor plant suffered battle injuries from a cat knocking it on the floor more than a year ago (scars seen on the leaves and yes that's a glued broken pot). It always was a side-heavy leaner, but recently I noticed that the roots on top looked like they were dying so I unpotted it, cut away dead roots, (can't remember if I trimmed some overly long roots?), then I put it back in its original growing medium (looks like decomposing bark chips) in its original position. It seems happy but it's suddenly throwing out what I assume are new roots. I also think I see at least one flower stem forming -- or do the roots grow vertical from the stem like that? I'm guessing that the repotting operation threw it into a growth spurt, but is what's happening good or bad? Is there something I should do for this poor plant? :)

Here are a couple pics:

Featured Answer

James _J

6 years ago

In nature, Phals grow on the sides of tree trunks. Usually the roots grow above the leaves and the crown of the plant points down or horizontally. When they are potted they are a bit up side down from how they grow in nature, which is fine but they will always try to re orient themselves.

That looks like a root in the photo, they pop out everywhere and go in any direction.

As for the potting media, it does depend a bit on your climate and how often you water. People who grow in dry climates do well with sphagnum moss because it holds water longer but will still dry in a day or two. People in humid areas can use something very coarse like lava rock , mount on a slab of wood or use a pot with no media at all. People in between use bark mixes, bark and moss, bark and coarse perlite, bark and charcoal, etc. What you are looking for is air circulation and for the mix to dry out between watering.

The plant looks healthy, but if the mix is decomposing you should replace it. The old mix make a good top dressing for other potted plants but will stay too damp and not have enough air flow which will cause the roots to rot.

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Comments (9)

party_music50
Original Author
6 years ago
It won't let me edit my original post -- I also wanted to ask about potting mediums used. This phal came potted in what looks like bark chips. I have another plal now and it came potted in what looks like rough-cut sphagnum moss. What do all of you phal growers think is the best medium and when/why do you repot?
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tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
6 years ago
Yes, tell us where you are and tell us why the plastic in the pot.

tj
party_music50
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Thank you, James. That all makes sense and I'd say the bark/moss or bark/perlite would be ideal for me. These orchids came with directions that say to give 1/4 c water just once a week. I try not to stray too far from that, although there are times I go with my gut and give them less water but more frequently.

tsugajunkie, ha - that's not plastic. This is how it came potted. The outer pot is tall heavy pottery, and the orchid is planted in an inner plastic pot-shaped "basket" (with very large openings), and that's a piece of fabric beneath it that allows you to lift the basket out of the deep pot. The fabric seems to be some kind of non-woven synthetic thing... it does allow water through it. It's helpful to me so I leave it.

Is all this new root growth normal after a phal is repotted? Do you ever cut away or trim back healthy roots, simply because they're too long or going in a crazy direction?! And what do you all use for pots? Is this inner-pot/basket setup unusual? I really should replace the broken pot but I've never seen anything like it around here.
James _J
6 years ago
I don’t think you can judge water by a specific amount like that.

The way I look at it is that you want to flood the pot so that the roots and medium get saturated. With a coarse bark mix, there will be air pockets but the damp bark will keep the root zone humid and the roots can also absorb water from the bark while it dries.

One time I dropped a plant after watering and broke the pot. What I noticed was that most of the media was bone dry. The water ran through the pot too fast and didn‘t touch many areas. Now what I do is to try to use clay pots with a single drainage hole. I put my finger over the hole and fill the pot with water, wait a few seconds and drain the water. This way everything gets wet and absorbs some water.

The mix I like for Phals and a few other orchids is a 50/50 mix of bark and hydroton (clay) pellets. I feel that the pellets will absorb water and maintain air space while the bark breaks down. For some older established plants I just use the hydroton alone , then I don’t have to worry about re potting as much.
popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
6 years ago
The new growth looks good. Honestly, my feeling is that if it's happy and has bloomed for you over the years, then just keep on doing what you are doing. Seems like you and your orchid friend have a good thing going!

The new little nub you see is a new root, not a flower spike. You shouldn't trim the roots unless they are rotten.

Next time it blooms, post a picture! I look forward to seeing it.
jane__ny
6 years ago
You need to tell us what climate you live in! We can't give information about your problems without knowing what your plant is experiencing.

Is it growing inside year round? What type of light does it get?

Where in the world is this plant growing??

Never cut healthy roots. Phals grow roots all over the place because they grow on trees without any media.

Please provide where you are growing this plant.

Jane
party_music50
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you all for the replies! but, ugh! I lost my long post. :( I'll try to be brief:

I keep asking if the growth spurt on the roots is normal after repotting, but I didn't think the plant has any problems. I must amend my dates though, because I realized I got this plant in May 2018 and I believe it was damaged in March/April 2019. I'm in the northeast - z5 - and the plant stays indoors at all times. I relocate it to different windows according to season and sunlight and it seems to like whatever I do with it. I'm a green-thumb long-time african violet grower so I think my conditions should be nice for phals.

Thank you for answering that healthy roots should not be cut away!
party_music50
Original Author
6 years ago
Also lost in the ether: James, I don't actually measure water or stick to every 7th day. lol! I check it to make sure that the media is thoroughly watered when needed and I never allow the plant to sit in excess water..... then I wait until it looks like it needs water again. I generally give it some water every 5-7 days, I'd guess.