Orchids are plants that produce unique and beautiful flowers. When growing them, it is important to repot them regularly to ensure good health, as they suffer when they stay too long in the same substrate. However, during the transplant they experience considerable stress; you must therefore be very careful during the procedure, but if you do a good job, you can prolong the life of these plants. Regularly transplant the plants as they grow.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Organizing the Orchid Transplant
Step 1. Choose the right time
Orchids need to be transplanted every one to two years, because the soil they are in will decompose and lose many important nutrients. Spring is the best time for most orchids, but there are other factors to consider as well. Here's when you should proceed:
- After flowering and when new roots or leaves develop.
- When the roots and the plant itself start to overgrow and no longer have enough space in the current pot.
- When they no longer produce flowers or new buds are no longer forming.
- If the vase breaks.
- If there is an insect infestation.
- When the growing medium is moist and does not drain properly.
Step 2. Choose a correct vase
This is an important factor in ensuring the well-being of the plant: you have to pay attention to the size and type of pot; if it is too big, force the plant to devote energy to root growth rather than flowering. Also, if you want the orchid to survive, you need to get a pot with drainage holes.
- Get one that allows it to grow for a year or two, but isn't too big. If you are not sure how much the plant can develop, choose one that is one size larger than the current one.
- You can opt for plastic or terracotta, although the latter requires more frequent watering.
- Get a pot that has holes in the sides for good ventilation.
- Choose a shallow one, rather than a tall one, to prevent water from building up.
Step 3. Choose the right growing medium
Most orchids do not grow in the earth like other plants and thrive on trees instead; for this reason it is not able to develop in a normal soil, but it needs a very loose substrate, composed of pieces of bark and other organic material.
Among the most common growing media for orchids are coconut shell, sphagnum, perlite, fir bark and mixtures of some of these
Step 4. Water the orchid
The day before transplanting it, you need to wet it to reduce the shock of repotting; do not give her more water than usual, however, but make sure the growing medium is moist when you proceed with the transfer.
Step 5. Wet the new substrate
It is typically dry at the time of purchase, so you need to wet it before transplanting the orchid to absorb and retain more moisture. Here's how to proceed:
- Fill the new pot with enough culture mix to transplant the orchid.
- Transfer the substrate to a bucket that is twice the size of the new pot.
- Fill the rest of the bucket with water.
- Leave the substrate to soak for an hour or two.
- Filter the culture medium with a fine mesh strainer.
- Pour running water over the substrate to remove dust.
Step 6. Sterilize a sharp accessory
Once the orchid is removed from the current pot, you need to sterilize a knife or scissors to cut off the roots and dead leaves. It is important that the instrument is disinfected, to avoid spreading viruses and diseases.
- One way to sterilize it is to hold it over an open flame until the metal glows.
- You can also soak the tool for about 20 minutes in a sanitizer, such as alcohol or iodine.
- Another alternative is to boil the blade in water for 20 minutes.
Part 2 of 3: Eradicating the Orchid
Step 1. Remove the plant from the pot
Place one hand over the base of the orchid so that it covers the top of the vase; hold the latter with the other hand and gently turn the plant over to move it and slide it on the hand that supports it.
- If the plant is firmly inside the pot, try to move it back and forth a bit in an attempt to detach it.
- Cut the roots and stems only if you can't gently detach the plant when you shake it. If you still need to make some cuts, try to keep the roots and stems as much as possible.
Step 2. Rinse the roots
While gently grasping the orchid with one hand, carefully try to remove as much of the old substrate as possible using your fingers; once removed, rinse the roots under lukewarm running water to remove any residue.
Remove all the old growing medium to make sure the orchid gets as much nutrients as possible when you transplant it and to avoid spreading insects into the new pot
Step 3. Cut off dead roots and leaves
When the plant is clean, check it carefully for dead leaves, stems, roots and pseudobulbs; use a sterilized knife to cut soft, brown roots, yellowed leaves, and blackened and shriveled pseudobulbs.
- The pseudobulb is a characteristic element of some types of orchids; it is a bulbous formation that emerges near the base of the plant with leaves growing on it.
- If you're transplanting multiple orchids at once, sterilize the cutting tool by rubbing it on a disinfectant product or heating it over a flame before treating each new plant.
Step 4. Sprinkle the cut ends with cinnamon
This spice has a powerful fungicidal effect that helps protect the orchid from infection and rot. Use ground cinnamon and spread it over the stumps of the roots, stems, pseudobulbs and leaves you have pruned.
Alternatively, you can use an orchid-specific fungicide product
Part 3 of 3: Repot the Orchid
Step 1. Place the orchid in the new vase
Gently transfer it to the new container by inserting the roots. Make sure the plant is at the same depth as the previous pot, so that the lowest leaf is 1-2cm below the rim of the pot. If it is too deep, take it out of the pot and add more soil to the bottom.
- Orchids with pseudobulbs should be placed so that the bulbar formation is at the edge of the pot.
- Orchids that grow from a single main stem should be placed in the center of the pot.
Step 2. Add new substrate
Sprinkle it in the bowl and compact it around the roots using your fingers. Add enough to create a layer that reaches the base of the plant.
- When you have inserted and slightly compacted the growing medium around the roots, gently tilt the pot to one side and the other to make sure the orchid is not unstable; if not, add more compact soil.
- To stabilize the substrate, lift the pot and gently tap it on a flat surface a couple of times.
Step 3. Water the plant
Once you have successfully completed the racking, pour in enough water to thoroughly wet the growth material. Over the next few weeks you should bathe the orchid more frequently until the substrate is able to absorb and retain moisture.
When the plant is fully established, water it every two weeks or so, when the growing material is dry to the touch
Step 4. Add a stake for safety
Orchids are subject to become heavy in the apical portion, when several flowers bloom at the same time; to prevent the plant from falling sideways, attach it to a stake.
- Insert a small bamboo stick in the center of the vase.
- Gently tie the main stem to the stake with soft string; fix it in the central part and near the apical part.
Step 5. Provide more moisture and shade for a week
To reduce repotting stress, move the plant to an area where there is only filtered sunlight; avoid exposing it directly to sunlight for at least seven days. To ensure greater humidity, wet the stems, leaves and roots with steamed water twice a day for a week.
