Depends on what plants you are talking about. The best answer you can possibly get is that the best time to repot is when a plant has started growing roots. This gives the quickest recovery time. They can be repotted any time of year as long as they are growing new roots. Failure to observe this rule will set back the vast majority of your plants, and in many cases outright kill them. Only in emergencies should you disregard this rule (i.e. root rot).

Phals are really the only plants that come to mind that will tolerate repotting any time of year regardless of whether or not it is growing new roots. But that is also contingent on a number of factors.

I have had orchids now for about 5 years. I consider myself a beginner. The problem I have is that some of my orchids don't seem to be firmly rooted. To my way of thinking they are not as stable in the pot as they should be. I assume the reason is because the root system is not vibrant. How can I wait for roots to be growing if the root system is not doing well in the first place? Also, when you speak of roots growing, are you referring to aerial roots? I see aerial roots on my phals and cattlyas, but other varieties don't produce aerial roots.

quicksilver, It is better to be more specific when asking questions. Genus and species/hybrid names are the best ID. Referencing "orchids" limits us to ~ 30,000 species. I don't know how many hybrids there are but you can imagine the numbers from 30,000+ !

Generally, orchids may be successfully repotted when they are in active growth. I will repot one tomorrow after I prepare the new pot today. I will undoubtedly repot far more in the coming months.

What kind of orchids (genus/species or hybrid) are not firmly rooted? This might be as simple as firmly anchoring your plant.

There are many people on this forum who will offer advice from their experiences. All we are saying....is give us a chance.

--Stitz--

Hi Quicksilver:
While it is best to wait until you see new roots/shoots forming to re-pot, I find that "opportunities" arise on their own schedule, and are not limited to certain species.
What do I mean? You turn around and knock a pot off a shelf, bam, opportunity to re-pot. I've done this several times. Take the opportunity to examine the roots. What? Why are they rotting, I thought it was doing OK? Huh? Re-pot, perhaps into a coarser mix, a smaller pot - or to a mount or basket.

What? see nibble marks on your buds? Inspect for slugs. Plant that once was happy is now slowly dying? Inspect for slugs or pill bugs in the pot. If you wait in this case to see new roots, it may be too late. The slug - or pill bugs- will continue to eat the new roots. Clean out. Re-pot or mount.
Yes, do provide us with some plant names, and/or photos, so experienced growers can help with better specifics.

Good growing ~
Maryanne in WMass

New growths and new roots do not necessarily happen at the same time. While most Catts initiate a new growth and actively start making new roots at the dame time, others form the new growth, bloom and then make new roots. Ideal time is when new roots are starting but any other time is equally ideal if some of the situations mentioned above prevail.

Nick

Thank you all for your input. It has been my experience that it takes a long time to see if orchids are doing well, or for that matter poorly. I think I need to pay more attention to the needs of my plants.
Tonight I yanked my problem plants from their pots. Most of the plants have very little in the way of viable roots. I plan to mount them on a wood slab. I'll mist them all daily, and be able to monitor the roots, or lack thereof.
Attached is an image of one of my plants. It is probably in death throes. It is, (or was), a Bllra. Tahoma Glacier 'Green'. I bought it at a discount more than a year ago from a chain food store. It is supposed to be an easy plant to grow, but it went slowly downhill from the day I bought it. Two months ago I cut off dead roots on this plant. I flushed the roots with water and then applied an orchid rooting hormone.

Here is a link that might be useful:

A couple of things come to mind when the subject of poor roots comes up. First, that the medium is too loose. When repotting, the medium must be pressed firmly around the roots with a dibble or perhaps a skewer, pencil or chop stick. The saying goes is that after repotting you should be able to pick the plant up by its leaves and it will not come out of the pot. I personally don't pot that heavily, but I do pot much harder than I used to. The roots like to be snug.

Second, the pot is too big for the roots. Orchids like tight shoes.

Third, that a high nitrogen fertilizer has been used which encourages leafy top growth at the expense of the roots. Use a fertilizer with a lower front number.

And perhaps the use of a product like Superthrive or liquid seaweed might help. These have hormones or something in them that encourages good roots.

Watering to the plant's needs is also important. If the plant likes to be kept moist or if the plant likes to dry out between waterings is extremely important. Meeting the plant's needs as to light is equally so.

Just a few suggestions to think about.

Hi again Quicksilver:
I forgot to mention - not only do the plants like to feel snug with tight shoes as mentioned by orchid126, but I find they like top feel "secure"
Once you decide that a plant must be repotted or mounted, then staking it, or wiring it securely is important. If the poor thing is in a pot and top heavy, it will be wiggling - sometimes inperceptively - and the roots will not grab onto the medium or mount. I often wire a plant into the pot. Run floral wire up thru the drain holes, and around psuedobulbs that are older and not in active growth, or use staking methods that you see at the orchid society club meetings - get the experienced growers to give you a little tutorial. First you admire a grower's plant, and compliment, then when they get all gushy about their prize blooms, ask how they did such and such... :-)

Personally, I don't like the monofilament wrapping that some mounts are cocooned in. I prefer a little sphagnum moss as padding, then the minimum of wire it takes to secure, even drilling holes at strategic places on the mount to get the "fit" correct.

Good luck and Happy New Year to all.
Maryanne

Super advice. I am guilty on both counts. I don't think I pack the medium firmly enough, and I definitely don't stake my orchids much. Thank you all!

Here are my distressed orchids mounted on driftwood. I think they look good.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://s222.photobucket.com/albums/dd206/quicksilver512/?action=view&current=000_0013.jpg&newest=1

Uh oh, mounted phalaenopsis indoors frequently don't work out! I really wish you the best of luck keeping them happy!

Terp you just have to water them daily. I did have a couple before the g/h and know several indoor growers that have them and can grow and bloom them successfully. If you want to fiddle daily with them, it is doable.

Brooke

I know. I used to have one or two myself. It takes a certain amount of skill and dedication a lot of people don't have, which is why a lot of them fail and why phals are regarded as not the best candidates. I had the skill just not the dedication, and eventually repotted them. My mounties now get watered maybe twice a week. That'd kill a phal faster than anything.

I am watering these every morning. It is really a time saver compared to watering orchids in pots. Another bonus is that the mounted plants don't take up much space.

Phals do well mounted pendant, which is the way they grow in nature. Also solves the problem of water stagnating in the crown.

I like the mention of holes drilled in the mount. I have been doing that for years. I recognize 2 types of mounts, with or without sphagnum moss. Large rooted plants like catts, large Dendrobiums etc don't need Sphagnum moss. I tie them to their mount with anything, doesn't have to be pretty as within a year it comes off once the plant has attached itself to the mount.

The ones with fine roots or those that like to stay wetter will benefit with a pad of sphagnum moss over the roots. I place the plant on the mount and estimate the size of the moss ball then drill 4 holes well within the border of the moss. Then using small training wire or telephone or computer wire I fashion a figure of 8 which keeps the plant and the moss in place. As you snug down the wire with the knot in the back, it buries itself in the moss so it becomes invisible. It then stays there for the duration. Every 2 to 3 years I take it apart and replace with fresh moss.

For a mount to be natural looking, the mounting wires need to be invisible.

Nick

Nick, we're talking about mounted phals indoors (i.e. no greenhouse), not mounted phals period.

(I had a post, but I have 2nd, 3rd, and 4th thoughts so it probably means it should not see the light of day.)

Should be no different as long as you water them often enough.

Nick

On the subject of repotting, I unpot all new plants mo matter when in their growing cycle I get them. I have found so many unexpected situations that I adopted that policy years ago and have not regretted it.

For example:

A healthy looking plant with unhealthy mushy roots.
2 plants masquerading as one.
Healthy roots on the surface but extending no farther than 1/2" into the pot.
A ring of roots around the perimeter of the pot around a dead zone in the middle.
A hitch hiking slug.
Snow fungus.
A webbed type of growth around the roots, don't know what it is but I see it occasionally.

If everything is OK, I replace the plant undisturbed, if any of the above conditions are present, the plant is better of repotted at any time of the year. At the same time I evaluate for a possible division. An adult Cattleya with 7 leads will not miss the 3 little growths from its seedling days and as often as not, a new plant can be generated. An Oncidium type can have a leafless backbulb removed at that time and quite often it will initiate.

I have preferred growing media and will switch all plants to that but not necessarily when I get them. If I get a plant in spike potted in bark and I happen not to like bark, I will wait until it finished blooming and until it initiates the next growth before I make the switch.

Nick

Thanks Nick, your suggestion just became one of my new years resolutions.

I have two Phals that I bought on sale at Home Depot about 2 years ago. They have WAY outgrown their pots (Ortho Orchid Mix) and probably need to be re-potted. The problem is they won't stop blooming! I've left the old spike on, and they either grow new spikes, or the old spike starts to branch and bloom. They have been blooming for over a year. Is it OK to repot?

Thanks, Florrie