Orchids naturally grow in the nooks and crannies of trees, in tropical environments (as shown below), or in some cases rooted in the ground. When potting orchids we need to mimic this environment.

There are a lot of options when it comes to potting orchids (clay, plastic, ceramic etc). It is important to the health of your orchid to have the “right pot.”

The right pot should include;

• An environment that allows their roots to both be “hugged” and “feel” free. You will want to pot your orchids in the smallest pot that the roots will fit in with a little wiggle room for new growth.
• Orchids also need a lot of humidity, which is typically not found in our homes. The “right” pot helps by holding some moisture around the roots. If your orchids does not have healthy roots then you are in trouble! Orchids show their health through new root and leaf growth. The orchid blooming system is in direct result of their root/leaf system.
• Drainage, drainage, drainage. Without proper drainage – your orchid WILL die. Orchids do not like their root system to be constantly wet, for example setting them in standing water or potting in a pot without a drainage hole. I have an entire post on this…click here.

The pots I use;

I use clear plastic pots (as shown below). I do this because I can easily see when their roots are thriving and when they are suffering without disturbing their environment. Plus I can place these clear pot in a decorative outer pot when I want to display them.

Clear plastic pots also make it easy to see when to water. In the below picture both orchids are healthy but the one on the right needs to be watered and the one on the left was freshly watered.

Clear pots not only give you a clear view of their root system but it also helps the plant engage in photosynthesis. Since orchids grow naturally on a tree and are exposed dappled light, clear pots help make photosynthesis through the orchid roots possible.

Clear pots are also easy to clean, disinfect, and reuse. Be careful in reusing pots – they must be totally disinfected. I recommend dipping them in Physan 20 and click here on how to repot your orchid.

Hope that helps,

Hannah

Feel free to leave comments or questions.

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