....that is the question....it matters not in what "Hamlet" one lives, yea the orchid grower oft struggles mightily with this burdensome query....
OK, enough B.S. (Bill Shakespeare, that is.....) I'll let Liese have the keyboard now....
Most times, it is obvious. the plant will be hanging out of it's pot, air roots growing in every direction and desperately trying to find a place to take purchase. Sometimes, however, it is more difficult to determine if your plant needs to be re-potted.
The first and easiest thing to look at is the plant and root growth of the orchid. If the roots are contained inside the pot, with only a few air roots exposed, the plant should be fine for another 6-12 months. However, if the plant is hitting the edge of the pot and starting to grow over the edge, it would most probably benefit from a re-potting job.
The second thing to check is the quality of the potting material. If the mix is firm and hard, with no mold evident, the plant can again be left alone. If, however, the mix is soft and beginning to decay, or white snow mold has formed on it, re-potting will be necessary.
Potting mix decays at different rates, depending on environment and mix ingredients. When a hard, three-dimensional, clean bark mix is used, re-potting usually need be done only every two years. If a finer bark mix is used, or one that includes softer or "flatter" (two-dimensional) bark, re-potting will have to be done with more frequency.
Humidity and moisture levels also have a lot to do with how long your mix will last. When plants are grown in a very humid area, or if frequent misting or watering is done, the mix will decay faster, thus requiring more frequent re-potting. If a drier, less humid growing area is present, then less frequent re-potting will be necessary.
Always try to re-pot during the plant's active growth cycle. This usually occurs during spring and summer for most orchid varieties. Cool growing varieties go into active growth during the fall and winter. Try not to repot during extremely hot weather. Mid-summer heat waves tend to stress the plant, and re-potting during this time only adds to that stress. In the same vein, re-potting during the severely cold months is also not recommended. During the coldest months, the day length is short and plant growth slows. This is not a good time to re-pot. When plants are re-potted during their active growth cycle, they root in quickly and continue their growth cycle without issue.
Sometimes, rules are meant to be broken. There are exceptions to the re-pot guidelines above. If, for instance, the plant has root rot, dehydrated leaves, black rot, or is in a pot with no drainage holes, it would be best to re-pot immediately, regardless of the time of year. Also if your plants falls over or becomes loose in its pot, it is best to re-pot firmly into fresh mix. Never add new mix on top of old. A consistent mix throughout the pot is important so that moisture levels and watering can be determined easily.
Don't think of re-potting as a chore, but rather a necessary task to keep your plants healthy and happy. Happy orchids produce beautiful blooms that ease our stress and brighten our world.
Enjoy the hobby!
Liese
