Detailed steps for repotting and changing the soil of a Phalaenopsis orchid: what do you do when the roots are too long to fit into the pot?

"You can't repot a Phalaenopsis orchid well without a few tricks." This remark comes from a shop owner with years of experience, because having a professional repot it costs 25 yuan each time. Is this just the owner's smooth talk to make money, or is it really true if you try it? The editor can say responsibly that the answer is actually half and half. It is not too difficult, but for a beginner who cannot even judge how much medium to use by thickness, it is indeed a problem, because if the repotting is done poorly with new medium, subsequent growth and recovery will also be relatively slow.

How should you repot it properly? It can be divided into 4 steps. First, place a layer of bark granules 1 to 2 cm thick at the bottom of the pot (this is recommended no matter what kind of flower pot it is), because the gaps between the bark granules are large, and after watering, excess water can quickly flow away through the gaps instead of accumulating at the bottom of the pot and suffocating the roots. The editor once tried skipping this out of laziness, and as a result, within a few days the potting soil became waterlogged and the roots almost rotted. After learning the lesson, every time I pot it up I dutifully add bark, and there has never been a problem again.

Second, carefully lift the Phalaenopsis orchid, do not pull the leaves or tug the roots, and gently place it into the flower pot. If the roots are too long, first coil them slightly along the inner wall of the pot, and never force them in, otherwise the roots can easily be broken. A flower enthusiast once tried forcing long roots in because of being in a hurry to pot it up, and as a result several roots broke, and later during the flowering period, the flowers clearly had fewer buds than before.

Then comes stuffing in sphagnum moss to fill the gaps. This step requires some patience. It is best to use small tweezers and put the soaked and squeezed-dry sphagnum moss bit by bit into the gaps between the roots. The sphagnum moss should be packed fairly firmly, but do not use too much force; just gently let the sphagnum moss cling to the roots. The purpose is to have the sphagnum moss support the roots, allow moisture to be absorbed better, and at the same time keep them from wobbling around.

Finally, spread another layer of bark granules on the surface of the potting soil, and it is done. Do not underestimate this layer of bark; it has many benefits. One is that it can block sunlight and reduce moss growing on the surface of the potting soil. The other is that it can keep the neck of the Phalaenopsis orchid dry and breathable, especially during high temperatures in summer, greatly reducing the risk of stem rot.