subject: How to Repot Orchids the Right Way [print this page] Orchid repotting is simply moving your orchid to another pot, usually a better and a bigger one. As the orchid grow bigger it eventually needs a larger place to live healthy and thriving. Although orchid repotting in general is similar to the repotting of common house plants, but there are some aspects that you should attend to carefully.
Your orchid should be moved to another pot if your plant does not fit in its old container anymore. Not only the roots, but the whole body of the plant exceeds the pot edges. Another reason to repot your orchid is due to the broken down of the growing medium in the old pot. The medium is no longer useful for effective air and water circulation. A mushy medium could cause rotten roots.
The best suitable time to do repotting is when the orchid starts to produce new growth, while the roots are still short. Avoid to repotting when your orchid is blooming or just producing a spike.
You may need some tools to do repotting, which include old newspapers, scissor or small plant clipper, a knife, lighter or rubbing alcohol to sterilize the knife and scissor, your plant that will be repotted, a new pot with an appropriate size and last but not least, new growing media.
The repotting itself can be done in three major steps.
Step #1 Removing the orchid plant from the old pot
Place several newspaper sheets on the floor or working table for easier cleanup. Turn the orchid plant upside down and remove it by squeezing the pot gently. To release the plant you can also give some firm taps to the pot sides. If the root sticks to the pot, you can make use of a sterilized knife to loosen the orchid plant gently.
Please bear in mind the importance of any tools used to cut the roots or leaves of the orchid plant for the prevention of plant diseases. Use the lighter to flame sterilizing or the rubbing alcohol to wipe the tools
Step #2 Preparing the orchid plant for repotting
After dislodging the plant from the old container, gently split the roots from the old growing medium by shaking it until the roots are almost free from the old medium. Do not force to remove the remaining old medium from the roots, just to avoid root damage.
Prior to repotting, the orchid roots need a trim. This is where the action of a sterilized scissor takes place. Remove all the dead or damage roots which usually are wet and soggy or dry and brittle. Healthy roots are indicated by a firm and white colored roots with light green growing ends
Step #3 Placing the orchid plant into its new pot
If you still want to use your old pot, you should wash it thoroughly. Then you should steep it in a weak diluted solution of chlorine bleach for about 30 minutes. After that, rinse it well. For the purpose of good drainage, put some clean stones, plastic foam peanuts or broken plates in the pot bottom.
The growing medium also needs some treatment before using it. Just rinse it in water to make it a bit wet. Put some of the mushy media on top of the drainage materials. Well place the orchid and then put more of the growing media around the roots while pressing it carefully with your thumb. Be sure that at the end, the rhizome tops are at the same level of the bark top
