soaking before repotting

[Cinderella]

I have read all about the method of soaking rootless orchids in sugar, Superthrive, rooting hormone, etc. I have been doing that with the root-challenged. But what about healthy orchids? I still plan to soak them in that same mixture before repotting. What does everybody else do?

[dosal]

I don't, all I do is sometimes say:"Grow da!! it!!!!"

[OrchidTraci]

I just got superthrive a little while ago, but I have been using it to soak between repotting because it is supposed to help reduce the shock. So far so good for me. I am, however, lazy about soaking the bark overnight before repotting.

[Dana]

I can't find any superthrive here...so i have to resort to the same method as Dosal

[Gilda]

A good healthy orchid ,I don't think needs all that TLC before repotting. If it's roots are in active growth ,it should take right off..no harm done. JMHO.

[OrchidTraci]

A good healthy orchid ,I don't think needs all that TLC before repotting. If it's roots are in active growth ,it should take right off..no harm done. JMHO.

That is very true. I have repotted orchids in wonderful health with no pampering and they just keep going and growing.

[LJA]

I agree. While it won't hurt healthy plants to go through that routine, in my opinion, the routine isn't necessary. If you water the day before you repot, the roots will stay pliable enough to make the job very easy, and the plants do just fine.

Traci, a lot of really fine growers don't soak their new bark mix before repotting, so if you don't do that, no worries. I do it here only because it's become habit after 17 years. I'm sure if I'd started out not soaking, that would be the method I'd probably still be using....

[OrchidTraci]

I agree. While it won't hurt healthy plants to go through that routine, in my opinion, the routine isn't necessary. If you water the day before you repot, the roots will stay pliable enough to make the job very easy, and the plants do just fine.

Traci, a lot of really fine growers don't soak their new bark mix before repotting, so if you don't do that, no worries. I do it here only because it's become habit after 17 years. I'm sure if I'd started out not soaking, that would be the method I'd probably still be using....

My orchids are used to how I do things, so I don't worry about it to much. Probably if I switched the routine and actually soaked the bark, I'd kill them lol!

[Floofy]

So I give mine a dip in an antifungal before repotting...Dithane usually.

I usually soak my medium and will put a bit of superthrive and ProTekt in the soak. The sugar thing sounds like an invitation to an Ant Picnic to me...I work to hard to keep the ants on their side of the yard already!

[L I Jane]

Traci-I never soak bark overnight as I never think of repotting until I see a plant that can use it.One thing I've been doing in the past 5 yrs or more is making up my mix & putting it in a sealable plastic bag with some water & microwaving it for 2 min or so & then throw it in a basin to cool down either naturally or with cold water & then I pot.
This way I can make up as much as I want --when I want--when I get the urge to repot!