The growing medium breaks down over time and won’t properly anchor the plant or provide the necessary nutrients.
They also need high humidity and airflow around the roots.
They need regular periods of drying alternated with heavy watering.Orchidsdo best in temperatures above 50F but below 85F.
The Spruce / Viktoriya Stoeva
The closer you come to creating these conditions, the more success and better blooms you will have.
Most store-bought orchids come packaged in cheap plastic pots with the roots packed in soaked moss.
This violates two of the main rules of successful growth.
Illustration: © The Spruce, 2019
Thus, the plant cannot breathe and root rot is inevitable.
Orchid roots are highly specialized organsdesigned to soak up waterquickly.
They do not extract nutrients from the soil.
The Spruce / Viktoriya Stoeva
How to Repot an Orchid
The first step with any store-bought orchid is to enjoy the bloom.
Don’t attempt to re-pot aflowering plant.
After the bloom fades, cut the dead flower spike off with sterile snippers and repot the plant.
The Spruce / Viktoriya Stoeva
Pot the plants into specialized orchid pots in an orchid mixture.
These pots feature wide drainage slits so water will easily run through the pot.
Orchid potting mixture contains varied chunky ingredients, including pine bark, charcoal, and sometimes styrofoam.
The Spruce / Viktoriya Stoeva
Healthy roots should be white and firm, with a small green growing point.
Prune Unhealthy Roots
Cut away any shriveled, rotten, or blackened roots.
The plant should be firmly situated, but it will not be completely anchored.
The Spruce / Viktoriya Stoeva
Find a good spot for the repotted orchid.
Orchids need a special, highly porous growing medium.
Soil is unsuitable for orchids.
What’s Wrong with my Orchid?American Orchid Society.
