Should I repot my Phaleanopsis orchids?

Leave well alone would be my advice! This particular orchid can,and will, flower for years at a time - only prune if it stops flowering. Oh an prop up the long flowering stem :-)

I find that they don't mind being put in cache-pots, Sarah - so that stops them falling over. It doesn't make any difference whether they are in transparent pots or in an extra pot.

You shouldn't need to re-pot them, as Moongrower says.

They are potted in clear plastic pots not because the roots need light but because it makes it easier to know when to water them. Mine are all in cache-pots too... just don't water then in the outer pot.

Somebody needs to tell certain GCs that, Moongrower! I heard them tell a customer that myth!

Good lord... Spritzhenry, snag is half the staff in GC's don't know what they are talking about. I went into our local GC one year to fined Phaleanopsis sitting with an inch or more of water in their cache-pots! I asked to speak to whoever was in charge of the plant section and pointed out to her that she would soon have a lot of dead orchids and she, effectively, just shrugged her shoulders.

I have also heard staff in same GC (not one of the nationals) giving out totally incorrect advice and, being me, have butted in and corrected them. When B. retired he considered working there part-time and decided he couldn't live with the lies he would have to tell about the plants

The place to go down here...quite a journey, though....is Burnham Nursery in Devon, which I guess you know is an Orchid specialist Nursery! They win gold at Chelsea etc.

They all certainly DO know about Orchids! That's where I learned a lot, they take time and trouble talking to each visitor even if you don't buy anything!

I got my Cymbidiums there. Such a difficult choice, though.

I am sending B a PM - I hope he doesn't mind.

Sorry to be a complete idiot, but what is a cache-pot?

The decorative pot that you put a plant-in-plastic-pot inside, to hide it!

It comes from the French word 'cacher'....meaning 'to hide'. :-)

That nursery has been to Gardening Scotland (our version of Chelsea) in previous years too Spritzhenry... I had such a hard time deciding which ones to buy!

Well Barbara, no wonder I didn't know what a cache-pot was - French was my worst subject at school (after PE, which, curiously, was taught by the same woman who therefore formed the opinion that I was a complete waste of space and thereafter devoted quite a lot of her time to making my life a misery). French - pah!

Joking aside, I believed that Phal roots had bacteria or fungus or something that lived on the roots and formed a symbiotic relationship with the plant, allowing it to absorb nutrients more easily. So.......this is a myth????

No idea, Sarah...sorry! I just know how to look after them, not the scientific bit! The roots do like being sprayed with rain water occasionally...

I thought that 'cache-pots' was a term in common usage, not just a French phrase!

Moongrower, they are a superb Nursery, so I'm certain that their displays are, too!

Nope, never heard of cache-pots Barbara! Sorry! But we're a bit low-brow 'ere in ol' 'erefordshire LOL Or maybe it's just me that's the nitwit..? x-)

Moongrower - thanks for your input :-)

Hi Sid no this is not a myth re bacteria/fungus but right now I am too tired to respond at the level of info needed - if no oe else does pm me and I will :-)

Thanks Moongrower :-)

You've got me wondering, now, Sarah? Do other people know that expression?

Moongrower did........

Nope, never heard it before either! Thanks for all the info on the Orchids though......my 2 are nearly at death's door, just a couple of little leaves.....:o(

I'd have said 'cache-pot' was in common usage but I might not be the best person to ask. Janey sounds like you orchids need some t.l.c.

Oh dear, Janey! What have you been doing to them? (or not doing, lol)

Ha..ha......I've tried everything....when the flowers faded the leaves began to go spongy and wizened, in the end they died off.....so I put them in the greenhouse, in a shady spot, then I put them outside in the garden in a shady spot.......maybe its the shady spot that doesn't suit! Lol

Yay! Someone else who doesnt know what a cache-pot is!!! I'm sooooo glad...

Janey, sounds like lack of water and food to me... either that or they've lost the symbiotic bacteria. Have you got any others in a happier condition? If so put them all in a container and part fill with rain water. Leave for maybe half an hour, take out and let drain completely and see if that helps.

Moongrower - I think you're going to have to explain to me about the bacteria on the roots - do they need light or not? If they do, then surely the cache-pot thingies are detrimental?

Hi Sid, no the bacteria don't need light and are primarily important in germination of the orchid seed (in fact checking it is a fungus rather than a bacteria!). This is what Burnham Nursery has to say on the subject of potting Phalaeonopsis: The clear pots are seen mostly with Phalaenopsis and the major continental growers started using them to encourage the plants to grow more roots inside the pot rather than lots of roots outside, so making them easier to pack and transport. Clear pots are not essential, but they are very useful for the amateur grower to keep on eye on the health of the roots. If too much water is given then you can see if the roots are rotting. By all means stand the plant in a more attractive container if you don’t want the roots on show all the time!

Thanks very much for that ino Moongrower, I'll put the orchids together in a bowl with the rainwater and buy them some Orchid food, the roots are very green so all is not lost I hope.....:o)

Thanks for that Moongrower - I have learnt something!! I always thought the roots needed light, but your explanation makes a lot of sense. I fear I have may perpetuated the myth by telling someone recently who contacted me direct to take all their Phals out of their ceramic pots so that the roots could get some light! Oh dear...... lol

S.

Oh well neve mind Sid...

Yeah, it was too many weeks ago to bother going back through my messages........ I'm glad I asked this question...GoY comes up trumps again! Thanks!