Question
QUESTION: We received an orchid as a get well gift.  Never had one before.  From looking online, it is white and the name starts with a p, although I don't have the spelling right now.  It came in a green ceramic pot with no holes in the bottom that is filled with bark. On top of the bark, the orchid plant itself sits in a small plastic pot with holes and slits all around the bottom.  Some of the roots are trailing out of some of these holes.  Do I need to repot the plant or do anything to this setup?  It is very beautiful and has two stems with about 5 blossoms each and another three ready to open.

ANSWER: Cathie, you, undoubtedly, have a phalaenopsis orchid.  It should be repotted after it finishes blooming.  In preparation for repotting, locate and purchase a small bag of orchid potting mix. This is a special potting mix just for orchids (I recommend a fir bark based mix from amongst the types available). When unpotting the old plant, rinse the roots, remove any that have collapsed (healthy roots are firm and turn green when wet).  Repot in the fresh orchid potting mix into a plastic pot that has lots of drainage holes in it.  If you want to continue to have the plastic pot in a decorative pot, be sure that the water has thoroughly drained from the plastic pot after each watering/feeding before puting it back into the decorative pot.  Phalaenopsis do not like to have their feet in water. Note: when using fresh orchid potting mix, you may need to wet it before use as it often comes quite dry.

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QUESTION: So it's OK to leave it in the small 4"x3" plastic pot on top of the bark in the ceramic pot?  Should I take the plastic pot out of the larger ceramic pot to water?   The ceramic pot/vase doesn't have any holes in the bottom, but about 6" of large bark under where the small plastic pot is resting.  

thanks!


Answer
It's okay to leave it as is for now.  It seems to be doing very well. I recommend that you remove the plastic pot with its orchid plant when watering or feeding and let it drain before replacing the plastic pot back into the decorative pot. The large bark in the decorative pot appears to be providing needed humidity in the vicinity of the plant as anytime water sits in the bottom of the ceramic pot it tend to wick up through the bark and evaporates providing humidity which is beneficial to your plant. This same effect is created in a "pebble tray" in which a tray substitues for your ceramic pot and samll gravel replaces the bark in your ceramic pot.  The concept is the same and in both instances the pebbles or the bark provide the humidity when wet without actually exposing the orchid's pot to standing water which could rot the roots if it were to occur.  The advantage of the pebble tray with gravel is that, unlike bark, the pebbles are inorganic and will not break down.