How to Repot a Phalaenopsis in Bloom

Phalaenopsis is a variety of orchid that is commonly grown in containers. The orchids need repotting when the roots begin to show over the potting medium, which is every one to two years. The best time to repot is after the orchid has dropped its blooms, but you can repot during bloom if necessary. Use a bark-based potting mix specially rated for orchids, and always use a plant pot that has drainage holes in the bottom.

Gardening shears
Packing peanuts
Orchid bark potting mix
Orchid stake
Butterfly clip

Instructions

- 1
  Place one layer of packing peanuts in the bottom of the new pot. Cover the peanuts with 1 inch of orchid bark potting mix, then place two or three more packing peanuts on top of the mix.
- 2
  Remove the plant from its original pot. Pull out any sphagnum moss packed in and around the roots. Disturb the roots themselves as little as possible by pulling the moss off gently.
- 3
  Rinse the roots in clean water and trim off any that look brown or dead. Gather the roots together and lower the plant into the new pot.
- 4
  Fill the pot the rest of the way with orchid bark potting mix. Gently tap the pot on the counter to tamp down the potting mix. Make sure the mix is around all the roots and covers the entire root system, including the green air roots.
- 5
  Water the potting mix until water comes out of the drainage holes in the pot. Insert the orchid stake into the mix and clip the blooming spike to the stake with a butterfly clip.

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Orchids