Learn How to Repot Orchid Flowers

If you are going to grow orchids, you will need to learn how to repot orchids. Young plant will need to be re-potted about every six months because they quickly out grow the pots they are in. The average orchid will need re-potted about once every two years. Older plants may be left a little longer as long as they do not out grow their pot. Orchids will also need to be repotted when the compost or potting medium begins to decompose.

Care needs to be taken not to over pot orchids. Orchid plants need to potted in the smallest pot possible and still leave a little room for growth. Putting an orchid into pot that is too large makes it difficult for the roots to get enough water from the increased amount of potting medium. This often leads to overwatering the orchid which can then lead to root rot.

Springtime is the best time to re-pot a orchid, but not if the plant is flowering. The best time is when new growth is a few inches tall and right before roots begin to grow. Autumn is the next best time to repot.

If you are repotting a young plant or seedling you will need a pot approximately 1 inch larger to allow for enough growth for six months. For a larger plant you will need a pot approximately 2 inches larger to allow for enough room to grow one or two years.

If the plant is young, you can turn the plant upside down and drop the plant out of the pot. You may need to loosen the compost ball and roots by squeezing the pot if it is plastic so that it lets go of the pot. If it is a hard pot you may need to run a knife around the edge of the pot until you can get the compost to fall out. The compost should be held together by the entwined roots.

Place enough potting medium into the bottom of the pot until the existing compost ball is just under the top of the new pot. If it is too tall you may need to remove some of the old compost from the bottom of the compost ball until you can sit into the new pot just below the top. Center the existing compost ball and pour in new potting medium filling in the space around it.

When repotting older orchids it is necessary after removing the compost ball to remove any old decomposed potting medium as well as bad roots. Remove as much of the old compost as possible. This should be fairly easy as it should almost be like dirt. Examine the roots closely. Live roots should be white in color and fleshy. Dead roots will be black and mushy or hollow and the outer cover will fall away leaving a wiry core.

You may need to divide your orchid if it has pseudo bulbs. If this is the case, you will need to leave one or two dormant pseudo bulbs for support. When done there should be more pseudo bulbs with leaves than there are without. The remaining pseudo bulbs can be used to start another plant in a different pot if you have enough. However it will take about two years for them to flower.

For the next couple of days only spray the foliage of the plant to lightly wet. This will allow the plant to mend any roots that have been cut or severed. After that, water carefully until new roots have started to grow from the new growth. Once you see the roots taking off resume normal watering and feeding.