# two questions actually here.....ok, maybe three...



## Jimsox (Feb 5, 2010)

First question...Do you repot never bloomed seedlings? I have a Paph. Harold Koop and it looks like it should be in a bigger pot now. I have never had one get this big yet and it just looks like it's too big for the pot it's in. 
Second question...Is Pumice ok in lieu of Perlite? It looks the same to me, but not as "light" or porus. But is it ok? Thanks everyone!! I just had to repot a few orchids as the bark was just too broken down to let it go longer. It's warm here in San Diego and they're inside for a few weeks. Will this re-potting now cause no blooms or is it hit or miss?


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## Leo Schordje (Feb 5, 2010)

Hey Jim, 
Good questions, first, I would repot a seedling as often as it needs it. oke: The potting mix determines how often you repot. My fir bark, charcol & perlite mix breaks down in about 2 years, depending on my bark source & how wet I keep the plant. So I repot all seedlings about once every two years, regardless of whether they have bloomed or not. Some seedlings are slow growers, and some seedlings I have given less than ideal care  and that would slow them down, so regardless of the bloom status of a plant I repot when the mix shows signs of breaking down, which for me means every 2 years. Some mixes last longer. Some potting mixes, like the peat based mixes break down quicker. Mixes based on Promix or Sugarcane Bagasse can break down in as little as 6 months if you are growing warm and wet. So your individual mix ingredients, temperatures and your watering habits will determine how long your mix lasts and often to repot. For Paphs it is ideal to repot when there is active root growth, which for seedlings may be hard to tell. Often if you see new leaves starting then there are likely to be roots starting also. Adult plants usually have a spurt of root growth about the time they flower, this is why the adage to repot after flowering is often repeated in the books. Important thing to remember, if the potting mix is going south, repot regardless of the season. It is better to get a plant into fresh mix before roots get rotted off by a bad mix than it is to wait for an ideal time to repot. Similarly, if you have a shortage of personal time for repotting, then repot when you have time to do it and forget about waiting until that ideal day for the plant. Because you will likely be busy on that ideal day. 

Pot size is driven by the size or amount of roots, not by the leaf span. If the roots are still healthy, usually I only go up one inch in pot size, but there are lots of exceptions. If the roots are less than healthy, I will stay with the same pot or go to a smaller pot. Pot to the root mass size. 

Pumice is a good additive for potting mix. The only caution is that a mix with pumice instead of perlite definitely will be a little different in the timing of its wet to dry cycle. You may have to adjust your watering schedule for the plants in pumice. But pumice is widely used in Hawaii as a durable additive to potting mixes. A lot of Hawaii growers use a coconut husk, pumice & charcol mix as all these products are produced locally. Give it a try.

Hope this helps


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## Ernie (Feb 5, 2010)

What Leo said.  

Repot when:
1) the mix is breaking down (_not_ once it's all goop) OR 
2) when the plant outgrows its pot. 

It is certainly best to repot when new roots are initiating. With slippers, we are super careful not to break healthy roots and unpot/repot gently to eliminate/minimize root damage. With this, we can repot anytime with little to no setback even for plants in spike/bud/bloom as long as their watering needs are met (fresh mix takes a while to retain water well). 

Any (well, almost any) mix will work if you understand it and adjust your culture accordingly. Pumice won't do any harm. Adjust your care to it, and you'll be fine. 

If I had a choice, I'd repot seedlings every six months or so and water like no tomorrow, but that's impossible for us at this period in time. 

-Ernie


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## etex (Feb 5, 2010)

I just love the questions and answer time posts here! Very informative!!
Just repotted my Oak Hill Economy Paph seedling special that had been growing like gangbusters since received last year. Potted like above suggestions for root growth, not top growth. 
My plan is to repot small seedlings yearly,NBS at the most every 2 years.This is a good time to repot for Texas-gives the wee ones time to get established before we get our blazing heat in summer!


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## Ernie (Feb 5, 2010)

I used to time our repotting for mid to late February too. Oddly corresponded to an influx of new plants thanks to the DC Paph Forum.  Yes, late winter/early spring is a great time to repot. The temps are cooler and light is still dimmer/shorter days, meaning that if the new mix gets too dry as it "seasons", your newly-potted plants won't get too stressed. By the time the days are warm and long, mix is holding water very well and all is in line for a strong growing season. 

One issue I have with this is that the mix is at its worst condition in winter, just before repotting when openness and freshness is important (stagnant mix + cool temps = root rot). We repot in early fall a lot now too. But like I said, whenever a slipper needs it, AND whenever we have time, we repot 'em. 

Do whatever works for you. 

-Ernie


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## Jimsox (Feb 6, 2010)

Thank you for the great advice and support, I kinda feel like I may be getting this stuff now.oke: Ok one more question to add on to this. After I repot and water and all of that good stuff.....when can I begin fertilizing again? Should I do it in a small dose immediately..wait a few days...wait a few waterings? I usually water once a week and I can see since I have been here in San Diego, it seems less humid, so my goal is to ramp up the watering to every 5 days, maybe 4 depending on the heat as well. I do have them on humidity trays filled up almost to the bottom of the grid on the top. I think I need to keep it that high to maintain some humidity near the bark. I have more questions, but I will wait and do this in the proper stages....Thanks again for your help!!! Jimi:clap::clap::clap:


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## Leo Schordje (Feb 7, 2010)

Hey Jim, 
I personally fertilize continuously, though I use a dilute solution. So every watering is with a little fertilizer. I use between 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon per gallon MSU RO formula every watering. I don't change it for newly repotted plants. If you are using a more concentrated solution, less frequently, I would still keep fertilizing, but make sure you water the plants first, so you are not fertilizing a dry plant. Hope this helps
Leo


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## Jimsox (Feb 7, 2010)

Thanks Leo, going to fertilize today after a little bit more watering.


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## Ernie (Feb 7, 2010)

Hi phosphorous fertilizers can help encourage rooting. New mix generally dries faster, so make sure they're getting proper moisture. _Don't count days_. Water _when needed_. 

For your humidity trays, surface area probably is more crucial than volume (assuming the dimensions of the tray are fixed, varying the depth). So, as long as the tray doesn't dry up, you'll get about the same amount of humidity from a 10" x 20" tray with 3" water depth compared to 1.5" water depth. Having more will just mean you refill the tray less often OR that they are more likely to overflow when you water OR that you'll be more likely to _not_ water generously, if you water in place, as not to overflow the trays. 

-Ernie


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