How to repot orchids

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How to repot orchids

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Friday, 20 September 2019 at 3:36 pm

Orchids need repotting every two or three years - here's how to do it.

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Occasionally, orchids need repotting to refresh their expanding root systems. Most orchids grown as house plants are epiphytes in the wild, which means that they naturally grow attached to a tree branch, with their roots clinging to the bark. In order to mimic their preferred growing conditions, repotting orchids into specialist orchid compost or a mix of moss, bark chips and perlite, is essential to maintaining their health and vitality.

Orchids living on branches get soaked regularly by tropical storms, but the water quickly drains away, and orchid compost is similarly free-draining. Over the years however, the bark chips and moss in orchid pots begin to break down and compact, reducing drainage. This is the main reason why you need to repot orchids.

Only repot orchids every two to three years, or whenever the plant becomes pot bound. Here's how to repot and orchid.

You Will Need

Plastic pot
Specialist orchid compost
Secateurs

Total time: 20 minutes

Step 1

Removing the orchid from its original pot

Carefully lift the plant out of its pot and clean off the old compost. You may need to cut the pot open if it is pot bound.

Step 2

Opening up the orchid rootball

Examine the root ball closely and trim off any dead or damaged roots using secateurs or snips.

Step 3

Repotting the orchid

If the roots have not fully filled the old pot, then it can be reused. Clean the pot using soapy water, then place the plant back in the pot and trickle orchid compost in between the roots, aiming to fill any spaces.

Step 4

Repotting the orchid

If your orchid is pot bound, then move it into a pot one size larger. Position the plant in the centre of the pot, then fill around the root ball with orchid compost, making sure to also fill any gaps. Avoid using terracotta pots, as the orchid’s roots will fasten themselves to the surface, making it difficult to repot in future.

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