3. I inherited my orchid from a friend who admitted she should have repotted it years ago. (and yes some of those big white Phals. After you’ve completed one of the three options describe above, you should resume your normal care routine. Orchid roots often cling tenaciously. Overgrown orchids inside tiny pots seem like roots are growing in all directions, even outside the pot. Gently ease apart any that are tangled and clip away roots that are dead or rotten. If you’ve had your plant on display somewhere in your house while in bloom, like I always do, return your plant to a window and let it do its thing. Orchids, in particular faleopsis, are committed to infectious diseases. 2. Sterilizing the shears is quite easy as you can use alcohol to do this. Carefull with recommending potting soil! There are a bunch of big orchids in pots in my back yard with roots all over the place. No I do not stake them. Because it may be difficult to visualize the stages of rooting behaviour (and, not coincidentally, being difficult to write about), this series of illustrations and explanations should help to clarify the subject. Hi, I'm new to caring for Orchids, and I've just moved to Hawaii. Above: Use clean scissors to remove any dead or rotting roots. A plant that seems to require root-pruning quite often is probably begging for a larger pot. On the bottom of the compacted rootball, make a clean X about a quarter of the way into the rootball with a sharp knife. 68.3k members in the orchids community. Here’s a photo of the plant. I moved the pots around today to try and clean up the weeds and debris around them and also in the pots. 7 | Orchids Will Bloom Again Next Year Orchids will come back year after year . Description Aerial roots contribute to the orchid's survival by gathering water and nutrients from the air. If the roots are always bright green that is an indication that they are drowning. Orchids like (and need) to be a bit root bound in order to do well. Also OP should not change the established feeding routine and those roots all over the place is normal, DO NOT try to stuff them all into a pot. Prune the Roots. The plant has grown too top-heavy for the available pot and it keeps falling over. Cut off any dead, discolored, or damaged roots, and rinse away the old degraded bark from the plant. A plant like this is extremely unacceptable. I did read on … These roots can also cause problems when they cram the orchid pot. Most orchids grow on trees in the wild and their roots are used to wandering everywhere. Keikis are clones of the “mother” plant and can either be left attached to the mother or removed and potted individually once they have grown large enough. How to deal with overgrown orchid roots. Video about growing orchid roots: Diseases and pests. When orchids are thriving, they will eventually outgrow their original pots and need to be repotted—and when they do, they'll need to be pruned. Roots growing from an Oncidium Bollopetalum putting out loads of new roots Existing roots + new root on a Phal Phal root on left, growing from between leaves—spikes often also grow from there Phal root. Tease apart the roots and remove any roots that have been cut loose. When I repot Phals. This happens as a result of excess moisture entering the pot. I do not re-pot, just add a little bark or moss to the top of pots where the plant seems unstable. Pruning the plant will help clean it up so that it will have a healthier environment for growing. An orchid with minimal to no roots is worrisome, but we have lots of tricks we can try to get it to sprout new ones. But if roots have attached to the pot or old bark medium then soak the plant for a long enough period that they can be gently pried off without damage or breakage. This way, you can see the roots clearly if you have your orchids in pots. Orchid roots do not like to be disturbed. Epiphytic orchids have a symbiotic relationship with one type of fungi and form orchid mycorrhiza in the root cells. Sometimes leaves on an orchid will grow very large which can make them dangerously heavy. Potting material is getting soggy and drains poorly. I am happy to have them as is the orchid. The premiere sub dedicated to orchids Orchids forum: Overgrown Orchid - Help! Pruning Overgrown Orchids. Roots are GOOD. You suspect the roots of your orchid are rotting. My take on roots for Phals. In fact, they should only be bright green right after they are watered. The ideal time to repot most orchids is when the plant starts new growth — usually right after it finishes flowering. Remember that you don’t need to repot just because the roots are growing out of the pot. First thing you need to do is to get your shears. But not much larger, usually the next size up is more than enough. Look for dead roots that are … Never cut aerial roots since they are responsible for providing proper nutrition and adequate hydration for the orchid. The usual response to remedy the situation is either to cut the roots or add fill soil over the roots and then replanting grass or ground cover. Phalaenopsis orchids grow along the surface of flower pots sending a few roots into the bark growing medium. Orchids' roots are different! Job number two is to secure the plant in place. The potting media has disintegrated into mush, which can harbor deadly bacteria and fungus. Prepare the potting mix. Views: 75, Replies: 9 » Jump to the end. They spend hours tending to them, offering words of encouragement and even shining the leaves. As you can see this plant is happy, but it’s out grown the pot and most of the new pseudobulbs are growing outside and the roots have totally wrapped around the outside of the pot. They may also become too numerous for the plant to remain healthy. If you notice the roots rising out of the pot, you should repot your orchid. Unhealthy Orchid Roots . The easiest way to fix an overgrown plant’s roots is to prune them. Root rot can happen so quickly sometimes. Newly emerging roots indicated that now is the time to repot this overgrown cattleya. Step 4: Place the orchid in its new pot. Phalaenopsis orchid roots need to be compacted and compressed inside their pot, and unlike other household plants, Phalaenopsis actually enjoy being root bound. Orchid roots are overflowing the pot. Michbrad Dec 3, 2020 1:03 PM CST. Such orchids will eventually die from overwatering. Pruning of orchid roots is important for the survival of the orchid and only requires a little specialized technique. Gardening Tip . Not only do areal roots absorb humidity of water droplets and nutritious micro-elements traveling on wind currents, aerial roots also increase the amount of energy by photosynthesizing. Tree roots that grow on the surface are difficult to mow or walk over and can affect the growth and health of nearby grass and ground covers. The plant has clearly overgrown the pot, with exposed roots hanging over the edges of the pot. Fertilizer builds up to the point that the medium is covered with white dust or the leaf tips of the orchid are burnt. Orchids generally tolerate cramped conditions in containers, but under some conditions, the plant may need repotting. The growth I described above is a baby orchid or plantlet, known to orchid lovers as a “keiki” (the Hawaiian term for “the little one”). Always handle the plant by the pot as opposed to the stem so that the roots are not loosened. The plant itself is going over the edge of the pot. "After lifting the orchid from the pot, remove all moss or bark from its roots," Rogers says. Aerial Roots by: Melissa Hi Becky, Thanks for your question. This is not to think that areal roots are a sign of a root bound orchid; they aren't. However, the way an orchid’s roots do this is somewhat different from what you are probably used to – they absorb these nutrients from the air. Aerial roots do no harm to the orchid. Slats in a wood basket can be pried apart, while a clay pot can be rolled inside several sheets of newpaper, which are then taped before hitting the paper bundle with a hammer. Watering down or soaking the root mass may help you to free the plant, but sometimes your only option is to destroy the container to accomplish the task. When orchids are this overgrown you should be able to bury some of them when you repot your orchid. Storing away extra nutrients. Also, they simply outgrow their pots and need repotting, with a few dead roots trimmed during the process. 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