Many people don't realize that repotting orchids is a very necessary thing to do in order for your plant to remain healthy! In this post I show you exactly how to repot an orchid.
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Most people don't realize that they need to repot, let alone know how to repot an orchid. Let me subtly say...YOU NEED TO. Keep reading, and I will show you a pictorial overview on how to repot orchids at home.
In specific, how to repot Phalaenopsis orchids in bark. Whether your moth orchid is growing in a bark mix or in sphagnum moss, it will need to be repotted every year or two.
I personally don't do it every year.Every other year would be a good rule of thumb.But never repotting is not an option!
Table of Contents
Why Repot Your Moth Orchid?
Why do you need to repot your moth orchid?Well, the potting medium will start to break down and the orchid roots will not be able to get the air and nutrients they need.
Remember, moth orchids are epiphytes, meaning they grow ON other plants like trees in nature and they have a lot of air circulation. Another reason to repot is that fertilizer salts will build up in the potting medium and orchid roots are very sensitive to that.
How to Repot an Orchid
The best time to repot a moth orchid is right after it is done flowering and you cut the bloom spike off. In order to repot your moth orchid, you'll need a few supplies:potting media (I usually use a bark mix instead of sphagnum moss), clean pots, a bucket, and scissors.
In the photo above, I have used the Hoffman Special Orchid Mix as the potting medium for my moth orchids. I found that the bark chunks are too big for my climate. It would be more suitable for greenhouse growing or if you live in a humid climate.
My favorite mix that I have found is the Treehouse mix from Oh Happy Plants. It has a wonderful balance of moisture retention, yet has excellent drainage at the same time. I've repotted many of my Phalaenopsis orchids to this mix and they are loving it!
Repotting in Orchid Bark
The first thing you need to do is to dump the bark mix into a bucket of water and soak in hot water.
Let the bark mix soak for about a half hour. The reason you want to do this is so you can properly hydrate the bark so it will more easily accept water. The bark needs some help to get started.
If you want to learn all about how to get your orchid to rebloom reliably and have healthy, thriving moth orchid plants, don't miss my signature, online orchid care course, Become an Orchid Master. It also includes bonuses with support from me, personally, to guide you in your orchid journey!
Clean Up Your Roots
As your bark mix is soaking, gently take your orchid out of its pot, remove all the bark off the roots carefully, and you'll need to cut off any dead roots.
And don't worry! You are not harming your plant! Orchids are tough. Tougher than you think. Notice in the picture above, I've already cleared out all the old bark, and I'm cutting off the dead roots.
Take a pair of scissors (preferably sterilized with alcohol or in a flame), and cut off any dead roots.
You'll know they're dead because they may be hollow or squishy, or maybe they are completely dried up. The roots that are alive will be firm and plump.
Place Your Orchid In a New Pot
Next, take your orchid that you've cleaned up and select a pot just big enough that the roots fit in. I ordered some clear orchid pots on Amazon.
I like clear plastic pots because I can easily look at the roots and monitor the health of the root system. You can quickly see if anything is going wrong.
In the picture above, I carefully placed my orchid in the pot. Try not and harm any of the roots, but it's no big deal if you do. As long as the majority of them are unharmed.
After this, take the bark mix that has been soaking in the hot water for half hour, scoop some with your hand, and place it in the pot a little at a time.
You're going to have to gently use your fingers to pack the bark mix in the pot. Sometimes I use a thin bamboo stick to push the bark mix in. Just be gentle and try not and break any roots.
Move as much bark as you can fit in between all the roots. If needed, before you put the plant in the pot, you can put some bark mix at the bottom too if there is room. Just make sure the plant is stable and not coming out of the pot.
And voila! You've now repotted your orchid. Give your orchid a good soaking of water in your sink, and place it back on your window.
I also repotted a small mini-cattleya orchid (pictured in the middle above). Lastly, slip your plastic pot inside a more decorative pot to add your finishing touch. Now let nature do its thing!
One important note to keep in mind is that many bark mixes are very dry, and after you repot, you may need to adjust your watering and water more frequently than you used to for maybe 2-3 months. After that time, your bark mix should be accepting water a little better. This is particularly important if you are moving away from a moisture retentive medium (like sphagnum moss) and repotting into a bark mix.
If you'd rather watch a video on how to do this, I created a YouTube video where I also include additional tips! Take a look!
Lastly, my eBook, Moth Orchid Mastery, has helped thousands of people with orchid culture. It contains practically all my knowledge on moth orchids, and I know that it will make you a successful grower!
Do you have any moth orchids at home? Comment below!
Excellent video! I am excited to repot one from a friend who ALSO MOVED and one as a gift. Ages are over 5 years and probably 1-2 yrs old. So it is time to repot both. Thank you!
I had an moth orchid bought for me when my husband died I call her Ophelia I cut the spikes off after the flowers died I do not know what the store puts it in the pot as a medium but I did not clear it out off the roots. I am using bark now. Should I take it back out and clear the roots or am I ok? I already have another leaf growing and it seems healthy. I bought your book but I didn't see the part about clearing the roots until to late. Is it to late with a new leaf growing? And why does everyone keep the roots crushed together? They are not that way in nature.
Your video and blog are so helpful, thank you for sharing!
I have an orchid that has very droopy leaves but its blooming, the roots are wet so even though I didn’t think I did I must have over watered. Since it’s blooming is it ok to repot or do I wait?
You're very welcome Tara! Let me refer you to my droopy orchid post. It may help: https://www.ohiotropics.com/2019/11/30/droopy-wrinkled-orchid-leaves/. And I would avoid repotting right now. It's best done after blooming. As long as your potting mix isn't broken down (assuming it's growing in bark), you should be OK to wait. Have you observed any rotted roots? If you haven't, it has not been overwatered.
Thank you for replying, it looks like it’s in a moss mix, not bark and it does look like rotted roots. That was a great article, which led me here. I bought an orchid bark mix to repot when I need to. I’m not sure what to do about the rotting roots though. I bought it from Costco, and it came this way.
Thank you for the video. It really helped. I learned a lot why my orchid is looking very unhappy and dropping flowers before fully blooming and the environment it should be in. I'm now ready to give it a fresh start. I had a hard time finding good potting mix - the smaller bark pieces. The local nurserys had only the big chunks, and nothing at the big box stores. A friend that owns a nursery a couple towns away is dropping by a bag tomorrow. He offered a lot of his personal advice, and even offered to help repot and check my plant. But I replied, Ha! After this 11 minute video i'm now an expert! If this one survives i'll be looking for a 2nd orchid. ( And, I'll be sure to let you know if I should've taken his advice, or not! ). Thank you again!
Thank you for this. I have been trying to figure out what is going on with my orchid. It is blooming beautifully. The blooms have been going strong for a few months and are still strong. The only trouble I’m having is the flowering branch or the long stem where the flower branch shoot out is turning yellow and dying. I have never repotted the plant and I think that is the cause. I’ve had the plants for 4 years and I get new blooms every 4 months. It irritates my mother since she cannot get her’s to bloom. Based on what I have read and watched it sounds like I should wait until the blooms fall off then repot the orchid. I will give this a try. Thank you again for the help.
Hi Stacy! I'm glad you enjoyed the post. It sounds like your plant has had a good run! No worries though. If the flower spike yellows completely, just cut it off. It will grow new ones with time.
I bought your book Moth Orchid Mastery but the link you gave on the repotting process says "No Post Found." I'm glad I found it here! Time to go repot!
How long does it typically take to see improvement after repotting. I repotted a week ago. The leaves are still a little droopy, but somewhat improved. There were new shoots on the orchid before I repotted but leaves were very droopy and the roots didn't look good. Arial roots are ok. This orchid has already re bloomed once.
Hi Mimi! I wish I had a better answer, but it's really very difficult to say because it varies heavily on your conditions and the health of the plant. Moth orchids don't grow quickly though in general, so expect it to take a while. Focus on providing very consistent care (especially light and watering) to see an improvement.
Thanks for the great video!!! Currently, I have quite a few aerial roots that I thought were going to bloom, but I just learned they are roots.. (thank you for that!!) Do I leave them? Or can I try and get them to grow downward without it damaging the root?
I would leave them. Once they get a little longer, you can try and gently direct them to growing into the potting medium, but they can break easily so just be careful. In the meantime, you can just mist the exposed roots so that they don't dry up. I have plenty of aerial roots on my plants. Often times, I will just wait until I repot them and insert them into the potting medium them. Hope this helps!
Glad you enjoyed it! You can just leave those aerial roots. You don't want to bother trying to direct them when they are too small or they will break. Once they are longer, you can try and carefully direct them to the potting medium so that they can start to grow into it. For any exposed roots, it's a good idea to mist them regularly so that they get watered, otherwise they will dry up over time. Hope this helps!
When repotting my moth orchid what do I do with the arial roots? Do I force them into the pot, cut them off or just leave them hanging on the outside of the pot when I repot it? I’m new at this repotting stuff.
Hi Cheryl! That's a great question. When you repot, if you can insert those roots carefully into your potting medium, this is best. Sometimes that's difficult to do without breaking them. In that case, there is nothing wrong with exposed roots on these plants. This is how they grow in nature. But you should mist those exposed roots every day or two so that they don't dry up and die. Hope this helps!
Hi Linda! I would not remove the aerial roots. If you can not get them easily into your potting medium, just leave them out in the air. There is nothing wrong with that! You can mist the aerial roots to water them and make sure that they don't dehydrate.
Hi. Tks for very informative information regarding moth orchids.Mine has been blooming from early April through mid August. It is now done blooming, but a new flower spike is starting to show as well as several new roots. I have cut off the spent flower stem at its start. I feed it a liquid Miracle grow fertilizer and give it two ice cubes per week. Seems to be working for me.
Hi Anita, I'm glad your enjoyed the post. If it works for you, don't change anything. But over time you may find that the ice cube method will not work anymore. I never recommend using the ice cube method to water, but just keep a close eye on the health of the plant. At some point, you may choose to stop using ice cubes.
HI & thank you for the article. I also enjoyed it and will take away new info (for me) as well! I received a “Ice Cube Orchid” as a retirement gift in July 2018 & have been quite proud that I’ve not only kept it alive, also, presently it’s in process on it’s 3rd bloom.
Why will the ice cube method get to a point that it no longer works? ......the plant I received was labeled & marketed as an ice cube orchid... easy to care for etc. and so far has been.
Thank you in advance & yes! I’m ordering your ebook now and thanks to this article I’m seriously considering getting another orchid. ?
Hi. Lowes sold Moth orchid this year as an air plant. On a hanger My fiancé bought one for me because he knows I love orchids. It seems to be doing ok. I follow directions and mist it daily. My question is, was this just an expensive novelty that will never reblossom or do I just need to be patient. Also is there a fertilizer you recommend that I might spray it with and how often. I am thinking I also need to clip out the roots that have died. I didn’t due to the fact that healthy ones are intertwined around them. Thank you. Love your article here
Hi Wanda, you are very welcome! I have other blog posts on my site about orchid care so feel free to check those out as well. They will rebloom for you! As far as fertilizer, Miracle Gro does make an orchid spray, but I don't use it. I fertilize dilutely with most waterings. No pressure at all, but I wrote a very short book on moth orchid care called Moth Orchid Mastery if you are interested. It is available on Amazon in eBook, paperback or audio book. It has everything that you need to grow these plants and is a quick read. Good luck with your moth orchid!
Your posts and book have been invaluable in giving me the confidence to branch into orchids - a plant I have always admired from afar but thought was much too difficult to keep. Thank you
Excellent video! I am excited to repot one from a friend who ALSO MOVED and one as a gift. Ages are over 5 years and probably 1-2 yrs old. So it is time to repot both. Thank you!
You're very welcome Cathy!
I had an moth orchid bought for me when my husband died I call her Ophelia I cut the spikes off after the flowers died I do not know what the store puts it in the pot as a medium but I did not clear it out off the roots. I am using bark now. Should I take it back out and clear the roots or am I ok? I already have another leaf growing and it seems healthy. I bought your book but I didn't see the part about clearing the roots until to late. Is it to late with a new leaf growing? And why does everyone keep the roots crushed together? They are not that way in nature.
Your video and blog are so helpful, thank you for sharing!
I have an orchid that has very droopy leaves but its blooming, the roots are wet so even though I didn’t think I did I must have over watered. Since it’s blooming is it ok to repot or do I wait?
Thank you,
Tara
You're very welcome Tara! Let me refer you to my droopy orchid post. It may help: https://www.ohiotropics.com/2019/11/30/droopy-wrinkled-orchid-leaves/. And I would avoid repotting right now. It's best done after blooming. As long as your potting mix isn't broken down (assuming it's growing in bark), you should be OK to wait. Have you observed any rotted roots? If you haven't, it has not been overwatered.
@Raffaele,
Thank you for replying, it looks like it’s in a moss mix, not bark and it does look like rotted roots. That was a great article, which led me here. I bought an orchid bark mix to repot when I need to. I’m not sure what to do about the rotting roots though. I bought it from Costco, and it came this way.
Thanks again,
Tara
Thank you for the video. It really helped. I learned a lot why my orchid is looking very unhappy and dropping flowers before fully blooming and the environment it should be in. I'm now ready to give it a fresh start. I had a hard time finding good potting mix - the smaller bark pieces. The local nurserys had only the big chunks, and nothing at the big box stores. A friend that owns a nursery a couple towns away is dropping by a bag tomorrow. He offered a lot of his personal advice, and even offered to help repot and check my plant. But I replied, Ha! After this 11 minute video i'm now an expert! If this one survives i'll be looking for a 2nd orchid. ( And, I'll be sure to let you know if I should've taken his advice, or not! ). Thank you again!
Thank you for this. I have been trying to figure out what is going on with my orchid. It is blooming beautifully. The blooms have been going strong for a few months and are still strong. The only trouble I’m having is the flowering branch or the long stem where the flower branch shoot out is turning yellow and dying. I have never repotted the plant and I think that is the cause. I’ve had the plants for 4 years and I get new blooms every 4 months. It irritates my mother since she cannot get her’s to bloom. Based on what I have read and watched it sounds like I should wait until the blooms fall off then repot the orchid. I will give this a try. Thank you again for the help.
Hi Stacy! I'm glad you enjoyed the post. It sounds like your plant has had a good run! No worries though. If the flower spike yellows completely, just cut it off. It will grow new ones with time.
@Raffaele, just wondering, usually after you cut the flower spike, how long does it usually take to grow a new spike?
I bought your book Moth Orchid Mastery but the link you gave on the repotting process says "No Post Found." I'm glad I found it here! Time to go repot!
Ah! Thanks for catching that Kathy, and sorry for the inconvenience! I hope you enjoy it :-). Sounds like I need to fix that link in there.
How long does it typically take to see improvement after repotting. I repotted a week ago. The leaves are still a little droopy, but somewhat improved. There were new shoots on the orchid before I repotted but leaves were very droopy and the roots didn't look good. Arial roots are ok. This orchid has already re bloomed once.
Hi Mimi! I wish I had a better answer, but it's really very difficult to say because it varies heavily on your conditions and the health of the plant. Moth orchids don't grow quickly though in general, so expect it to take a while. Focus on providing very consistent care (especially light and watering) to see an improvement.
Thanks for the great video!!! Currently, I have quite a few aerial roots that I thought were going to bloom, but I just learned they are roots.. (thank you for that!!) Do I leave them? Or can I try and get them to grow downward without it damaging the root?
I would leave them. Once they get a little longer, you can try and gently direct them to growing into the potting medium, but they can break easily so just be careful. In the meantime, you can just mist the exposed roots so that they don't dry up. I have plenty of aerial roots on my plants. Often times, I will just wait until I repot them and insert them into the potting medium them. Hope this helps!
Glad you enjoyed it! You can just leave those aerial roots. You don't want to bother trying to direct them when they are too small or they will break. Once they are longer, you can try and carefully direct them to the potting medium so that they can start to grow into it. For any exposed roots, it's a good idea to mist them regularly so that they get watered, otherwise they will dry up over time. Hope this helps!
When repotting my moth orchid what do I do with the arial roots? Do I force them into the pot, cut them off or just leave them hanging on the outside of the pot when I repot it? I’m new at this repotting stuff.
Hi Cheryl! That's a great question. When you repot, if you can insert those roots carefully into your potting medium, this is best. Sometimes that's difficult to do without breaking them. In that case, there is nothing wrong with exposed roots on these plants. This is how they grow in nature. But you should mist those exposed roots every day or two so that they don't dry up and die. Hope this helps!
When repotting orchids can you remove the aerial. I have one plant that has a lot.
Hi Linda! I would not remove the aerial roots. If you can not get them easily into your potting medium, just leave them out in the air. There is nothing wrong with that! You can mist the aerial roots to water them and make sure that they don't dehydrate.
Hi. Tks for very informative information regarding moth orchids.Mine has been blooming from early April through mid August. It is now done blooming, but a new flower spike is starting to show as well as several new roots. I have cut off the spent flower stem at its start. I feed it a liquid Miracle grow fertilizer and give it two ice cubes per week. Seems to be working for me.
Hi Anita, I'm glad your enjoyed the post. If it works for you, don't change anything. But over time you may find that the ice cube method will not work anymore. I never recommend using the ice cube method to water, but just keep a close eye on the health of the plant. At some point, you may choose to stop using ice cubes.
HI & thank you for the article. I also enjoyed it and will take away new info (for me) as well! I received a “Ice Cube Orchid” as a retirement gift in July 2018 & have been quite proud that I’ve not only kept it alive, also, presently it’s in process on it’s 3rd bloom.
Why will the ice cube method get to a point that it no longer works? ......the plant I received was labeled & marketed as an ice cube orchid... easy to care for etc. and so far has been.
Thank you in advance & yes! I’m ordering your ebook now and thanks to this article I’m seriously considering getting another orchid. ?
Hi Robin! I have a blog post on that topic actually. I would highly recommend reading this: https://www.ohiotropics.com/2019/09/12/why-you-should-not-water-orchids-with-ice-cubes/
Hi. Lowes sold Moth orchid this year as an air plant. On a hanger My fiancé bought one for me because he knows I love orchids. It seems to be doing ok. I follow directions and mist it daily. My question is, was this just an expensive novelty that will never reblossom or do I just need to be patient. Also is there a fertilizer you recommend that I might spray it with and how often. I am thinking I also need to clip out the roots that have died. I didn’t due to the fact that healthy ones are intertwined around them. Thank you. Love your article here
Hi Wanda, you are very welcome! I have other blog posts on my site about orchid care so feel free to check those out as well. They will rebloom for you! As far as fertilizer, Miracle Gro does make an orchid spray, but I don't use it. I fertilize dilutely with most waterings. No pressure at all, but I wrote a very short book on moth orchid care called Moth Orchid Mastery if you are interested. It is available on Amazon in eBook, paperback or audio book. It has everything that you need to grow these plants and is a quick read. Good luck with your moth orchid!
Do you recommend any fungicide to treat orchid roots ?
Thank very much!
I have never used a fungicide on my orchids. Can you describe what issues or problems that you are seeing?
During the process of repotting your orchid, do you ever use hydrogen peroxide ?
Thank you!!!
No, I personally have never done so.
Your posts and book have been invaluable in giving me the confidence to branch into orchids - a plant I have always admired from afar but thought was much too difficult to keep. Thank you
That makes me so happy to hear that! I wish you all the success with growing Phalaenopsis. They truly are very easy once you learn just a little bit!
Helpful pictorial and description! I want to try now, but first I need an orchid! ?
Go buy one!!!!