Orchid Repotting Made Easy

Orchid repotting is not a difficult job but it can be a little bit painstaking. The most important thing to remember, if you are a newbie orchid hobbyist, is that orchids are not planted in potting soil. Potting soil works great for almost every other houseplant but not for orchids.

In their natural environment many orchids live on trees in the rainforest. The roots of the orchids are exposed, not normally submerged in any heavy covering. When water falls on their roots from the canopy above, the orchid’s roots get very wet and then dry very quickly and this happens often over the course of a day.

When you decide that your orchids need repotting, you must consider some good materials to plant your orchids in so that the orchids are supported but that the roots are not smothered. Orchid repotting medium comes in an enormous range of materials including different kinds of bark, broken up coconut shells, charcoal, broken bricks, wine corks, peat moss and even packing peanuts! No matter which one you pick or what combination, the roots of your orchids should not be smothered by heavy, clingy, potting medium.

You also must consider when you should do your orchid repotting. Some orchids need to be repotted once a year, some every two or three years. The best way to know what is best time for repotting your orchids is to do some research. Often, the best time for orchid repotting, barring emergencies, is right after orchids finish blooming.

Here are some of the emergencies that I just mentioned might make you decide to repot. When you inspect your orchids, you will see roots of some of the orchids look black or mushy. That means bad roots need to be trimmed away. Perhaps you see some pest, such as snails crawling around the potting medium. Perhaps your orchids just are not doing that well or the potting medium looks too dark and old. These are all signs that orchid repotting is a necessary. Repotting really is not difficult process. Just follow the instructions below:

  • Put some old newspapers and carefully extract your orchids from their pots. Use sterilized tools and wear latex gloves so as not to spread disease and pests among your orchids. Re-sterilize tools and change gloves between plants. Do one orchid at a time. Carefully pry any roots off the pot that are stuck. Don’t break them if you can avoid it.
  • Now, remove all old potting medium from your orchids. You may even need to go so far as to use a sterilized tweezers to get the last bits or to remove any pests you might find. Cut off dead or damaged roots.
  • Using a pot that is slightly larger than the one used during the previous orchid repotting, put the orchid in the pot, leaving just the crown exposed and surround the roots with new potting medium. Consider using clear orchid repotting pots. They allow you to see the roots without removing the orchid. There are also some orchids, like the Phalaenopsis orchid, that have roots that photosynthesize if light reaches them.
  • Give your newly repotted orchids a good dousing with water.

Voila! You are done. Repotting orchids is not “rocket science.”  Repotting orchids can be a snap if you follow the steps I’ve outlined.

Yes, Paul! I Want to Learn “Top Ten Secrets of Growing Healthy and Beautiful Orchids”

Send Me My Free “Top Ten Secrets of Growing Healthy and Beautiful Orchids” Email Course Today!

Your Email:
Your First Name:

You Will Receive the First Lesson in Your Inbox Immediately.

100% Spam Free! I Value Your Email Privacy.
You may unsubscribe at anytime.