How do I plant this small Phal.?

9 years ago

Supreme Novice here. I received 2 Phal's in the mail today and one I know what to do with, but the other I'm stumped.

The first Phal. is in a pot of bark. The second one, pictures below is in a hollow mini-wooden crate like pot.

Inside the crate where the rootball is, there is only one piece of bark.

As you can see, the roots are woven in and out of the crate, which tells me this crate *is* the pot and I plant the whole thing? I dunno. lol

Notice the long roots that goes out horizontally? Do I leave those out if I need to repot?

You can't really tell in the picture, but the leaves have this yellow look to them at the bottom. Almost as if root rot is beginning, but they're very firm.

Can someone please tell me how to plant this, and should I water the little piece of the bark now? It's completely dry.

This is a Phal. Gigantea.

TIA!

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Comments (12)

Oakley
Original Author
9 years ago
I forgot to add. I have a large greenhouse. It's new and there is no cooling in there right now. All the flowers inside are thriving, but right now the daytime temps gets in the 90's.

Is that too hot for Orchids?
arthurm
9 years ago
90's is not too hot for most orchids but it is the upper limit for Phals. Maybe you can put it at a lower bench level through summer.
Read up on the conditions required for Phalaenopsis gigantea, take some temperature and humidity readings at various levels in your glass-house and do not fiddle with orchid on the mount.
You might have to vary shading on your glass-house between summer and winter.
Good Luck and how big is is a large glasshouse, do you have fans and misters?

This post was edited by arthurm on Fri, May 9, 14 at 20:27
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orchidnick
9 years ago
Did you read the thread on how to build a cooler for a little over $100?

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/orchids/msg04145013368.html?18

It not only cools but also adds humidity. How many sq feet is your greenhouse?

Nick
terpguy
9 years ago
Oakleyok,

This is not entirely surprising. Phal gigantea is frequently grown in baskets or mounted because of its eventual mature size and downward growing spikes.

They can be grown in pots though. Just pot it as you would any other phal.
Oakley
Original Author
9 years ago
One problem. I've never planted an orchid before. :)

Should I buy bark or potting soil for orchids and stick the whole base in it? I did soak the base this morning.

Also, the long runners off to the side, they stay outside of the pot, right?

The greenhouse is fairly large, about 600 sq. feet. It has fans and misters, but this will be the first summer using it, although it's full of veggies and flowers right now.

I have no clue how hot it will get once it reaches the triple digits here.
arthurm
9 years ago
As I said above you probably will have to add shading for the hotter months, but it is a matter of trial and error and experience to get the conditions inside right for what ever you want to grow.
Phalaenopsis gigantea is a tropical lowland orchid from Bornea. It grows in the understory so it it is getting shelter from the hot sun. The gigantea bit refers to the size of the leaves. Probably needs a daily temperature range of something like min 20C Max 30C with air movement and high humidity.
Seeing you are just starting why compound your problems by repotting/demounting orchids. Sit back and observe, do some research and buy a gadget to measure the temperature and humidity in your glass-house. Which is where in the USA?
Oakley
Original Author
9 years ago
I'm not worried about the greenhouse right now because I plan to keep it indoors for the time being.

Terpguy said to repot it like any other Phal. I can do that, but my biggest question is, do I pot the whole crate like thing it's in, or gently take the Phal out along with the woven roots, and then plant while discarding the crate?

Mind you, there is all of one piece of bark on the inside, the rest is hollow.
terpguy
9 years ago
I was debating this in my head. The kindest thing to do is repot with the basket since roots are attached.

But you do have the option to try to completely remove it from the basket, trying to do as little damage as possible. You'd do this by soaking the basket in warm water for half an hour and very gently peeling the roots from the basket. This is less than ideal for sure because of the potential for harming the roots, but it you're gentle enough- not to mention lucky enough - little damage will be done and the plant may not miss a beat.
zzackey
9 years ago
I worked in an orchid nursery years ago. We repotted the cribs (the wooden things) in bigger cribs. I never saw a phal potted like one of those before. I would leave the roots the way they are and cut the dark dead roots off.
Florida_Joe's_Z10a
9 years ago
It seems that it would make more sense to leave it attached to the basket and just fill up the basket with very large chunks of an orchid potting mix, or spagnum moss, leaving those hanging roots to hang as they like.
garyfla_gw
9 years ago
Hi
If you're going to grow in a GH I'd leave it in the basket and sit it in a larger basket no media is necessary BUT you have to keep up with the water. Almost impossible to remove without damage .. I like to grow them that way as I don't have top worry about overwatering. For me it works best for Vanda and Epicatts. Goodluck gary
Oakley
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks everyone! I'm going to leave it in the basket and then plant the whole thing.