Repotting Orchids in My Greenhouse
On rainy days, when it’s more productive to work indoors, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, keeps busy with plant maintenance inside the greenhouse.
One recent weekend, I spent several hours going through my large collection of tropical container plants and decided a group of them needed repotting, including my orchids. Ryan took on this task last week when it poured here in the Northeast. Caring for orchids is a daunting process for many, but if you take time to understand their basic needs, and have all the proper orchid care supplies, there’s no reason why they won’t continue to thrive and bloom. If an orchid appears to have outgrown its pot, its roots look to be overflowing, or if the potting material is noticeably old and soggy, it probably needs repotting.
Here are some photos to show you how we do this process - enjoy. And be sure to watch QVC today at 9am ET, 1pm ET and again at 4pm ET - I'll be on sharing lots of wonderful items from my growing collections!
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- Here are some of my many orchids that need repotting. The ideal time to repot an orchid is after it finishes flowering, when it begins to produce new growth.
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- Orchid pots are specially designed to have a lot of holes for good drainage and aeration. These pots have already been well-cleaned.
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- The natural clay material is also very porous and allows roots to breathe.
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- Ryan places a shard over the hole in the bottom of the pot. This helps the plant drain more effectively.
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- In order to replicate the best environment for epiphytes, orchids are potted in mixes containing bark, charcoal, perlite and peat moss. The charcoal helps to filter out impurities.
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- We like to create our own mix, but there are pre-made orchid mixes available at garden supply stores.
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- Ryan mixes it all together in a trug bucket, adds a little water and then lets it soak for a few hours. This will help it retain enough moisture to sustain the orchids.
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- Here, Ryan begins to put some of the orchid mix into the bottom of the pots.
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- The older growth should go toward the bottom of the pot, with the newer growth toward the sides, where it will have more room to spread out. The top part of the root mass should be at the same level it was in the previous pot.
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- Ryan pours some orchid medium around the roots and then shakes the pot and taps the sides to help the potting material settle lightly packed around the root coils. If you use your fingers, press gently on the live roots and make sure there are no big air pockets.
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- This orchid looks very happy in its new pot. Most orchid genera are epiphytic, meaning they grow on trees and rocks rather than in soil. Orchid roots need to breathe and therefore cannot live buried in dirt.
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- Repotting helps orchids thrive. Some orchids need annual repotting, while others can go two to three years before repotting is necessary.
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- Some of the plant leaves also need a bit of maintenance – water, calcium deposits and dust can often make the leaves look dull.
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- Ryan uses Leaf Shine, which is made with vegetable oils and is easy to spray. Products like this are easy to find at garden supply stores.
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- Ryan sprays only the leaves. These sprays are generally suitable for all foliage plants with the exception of those with soft downy leaves, ferns, and succulents.
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- Once applied, the plants need a few minutes to dry, and then Ryan gently wipes away any excess.
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- These plants have such pretty foliage. I prefer them to look clean, but not overly shiny.
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- Ryan assesses each plant’s roots before repotting. He trims away any roots and leaves that look shriveled. This may seem rather extreme, but orchids do best with a good pruning and cleanup.
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- It is not unusual to see orchid roots growing in so many directions. In the wild, epiphytes are able to extend their roots looking for moisture. Managing the roots and the repotting process will ensure your orchid is healthy and strong.
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- As you can see, this orchid will also need trimming to remove its dead leaves, so there is ample room for all the new growth. Using very clean shears, trim away the old, dead and shriveled leaves. If not diseased, the dead material can go into the compost.
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- The lower roots go right into the pot, while the upper aerial roots are placed over the rim. This helps to anchor the orchid in its new home.
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- Here, Ryan untangles the roots carefully. You can see the difference between the lower, darker-colored roots and the upper, greenish aerial roots. Examine the roots closely. If any roots feel soft and limp, they are likely dead and should be removed.
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- And then he gently places it into the pot exposing the aerial roots.
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- Orchids can give you many years of colorful blooms, if you maintain them correctly. These repotted orchids will soon be moved back to their space on two long tables greenhouse. They look so healthy and happy.
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