to repot, or not to repot...

[GrumpyBear]

So I know i said i wasn't going to buy any new orchids until i see some blooms on my old ones but... it just happened... it was a really good price cuz it's just out of bloom and it's an encyclia which i don't have any of and it has a new little growth starting... something tells me i'll get a lot of understanding here for my weakness...

ok, so to the question: they told me it's an encyclia cochleata and i've been trying to read up on them and mostly i hear they like a medium coarse mix, but the media it came in doesn't seem anything like that... very small bark, tight fit, doesn't look like a lot of air moving around there... but if i dig down and look at the roots they do seem pretty healthy. also it seems to have a live moss on the top, never dealt with that before... my instincts say repot, but it ain't broke so i have a terrible track record with trying to fix things like that...altogether i can't decide if i should repot...thoughts?

[Brutal_Dreamer]

LOL, yes lots of understanding here for 'our' weakness. My rule of thumb is: repot all new orchids. Now, I don't always get to follow my own rule, but for the most part if the orchid can be repotted, it should be repotted. That way it is growing in a medium that works well with your own watering schedule. Best of luck with your decision.

Cheers,
BD

[ischel1]

I agree with Bruce. I always repot immediately. Good luck with your new chid.

[GrumpyBear]

ok, i've added it to the to-do list. hopefully that means it'll get done (the to-do list hasn't had a great track record so far this summer...)

[Cjcorner]

I agree with the above, you never know what lurks around down in that old stuff. Alot of times what is lurking moves around and you end up buying something else to kill it.
Good Luck
Connie

[rich63]

I had a nest of ants in one of the plants that came home with me.That was fun I didn't notice until about a half hour after I got home.Re-potted the plant and got the bug spray out for the kitchen counter,they were really small ones.

[cindiras]

Re=pot! Re-pot! Re-pot!

[Lambert]

I never set back any of my encyclias when I repotted them, they don't seem to be fussy about it like other orchids.

[GrumpyBear]

thanks all, instinctively i knew i should repot but i think i needed the reassurance