Adaptive Repotting Approach an Element of Growing Healthy Orchids by MARY JO GILSDORF

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21st ANNIVERSARY 2005 GORDON W. DILLON/RICHARD C. PETERSON MEMORIAL ESSAY PRIZE WINNER

Theme: Potting Orchids — Media and Methods Adaptive Repotting Approach An Element of Growing Healthy Orchids BY MARY JO GILSDORF

FOR ME, THE PROCESS OF LEARNING owner. This adaptive repotting adapt to its native environment. If you how to grow orchids has been a approach takes all of the components understand that adaptation, you can process of adaptation. I began on a of this equation to create support for better modify your approach in windowsill with a couple of plants that the plant in your environment. There repotting to provide what it needs to I fussed and mussed over until they is no one way or right way to do it. flourish for you. met their untimely end. I then got more Literature is replete with advice, but Each grower varies in his or her plants, too many to pay too much unless that advice matches your ability to provide the factors for the attention to, and they stayed alive. My conditions and the type of orchid you healthy growth of any particular plant next goal was to get them to grow and are growing, it can ensure the demise in the growing space. As creatures then to grow them well. Soon, I set of the plant as easily as it can produce with a passion for growing orchids, we my sights on making them bloom. an award-winning result. Be flexible are known to cultivate them on And bloom bigger and better. Each and responsive in your approach. windowsills, in greenhouses and light progressive step in this process Experiment with methods and mate- rooms or under several of these involved the creative use of materials rials. Observe and record your results. conditions, among others. What we and methods to enable my plants, my Adjust. Change. Evolve. And have have to offer in humidity levels and air growing space and me to achieve my some fun with it. goals. From my windowsill to the light The two basic parameters to adapt OPPOSITE Paphiopedilum Kolosand room I finally built in my basement, and for success in growing are what the ‘Helios’, HCC/AOS (kolopakingii × some day to the greenhouse I hope to plant needs to prosper and what you sanderianum) takes after its Paph. have, the process will continue. have to offer. Creative use of different kolopakingii parent in its growth habit. When Orchids exist virtually on every containers and media bridge these it flowered in late June, it had a 36-inch continent in every kind of climate. baseline factors. Many resources (90-cm) leafspan and a 24-inch- (60-cm-) Orchid growers are equally ubiquitous. are available for understanding the tall inflorescence. The plant is grown in a And as each species is unique, so are cultural habits of orchids. In con- 4-inch- (10-cm-) wide plastic pot. Because the conditions of each orchid grower. sidering your choices in potting, Windowsill hobbyists are faced with review the cultural information, paying its roots are fairly thick, the author adds a challenging conditions, and innovative particular attention to the moisture good handful of medium bark to her ways to adapt to these less-than-ideal needs of the plant, that is, the level of paphiopedilum mix of two parts fine bark, conditions develop. Repotting provides humidity it requires to flourish, the rain one part medium perlite and one part No. 2 an excellent opportunity for learning, cycles and amounts in the plant’s charcoal. Paphiopedilum Kolosand is grown using potting media and containers to natural habitat. Also consider the in the author’s dining room window with a compensate for the growing conditions plant’s characteristics. Is it an southern exposure. During the summer, available, whether on a windowsill or epiphyte, terrestrial or lithophyte? she places it outdoors beneath a dogwood in a greenhouse. What type of plant structure does it tree and applies a top dressing of bone The purpose of a pot is to provide have? Are there pseudobulbs to store meal. The inflorescence is staked using the basis of an environment for the water? Fleshy roots or thin brittle 18-gauge florist wire with a hook fashioned horticultural needs of a particular plant ones? Thick leaves or thin? All of these at the end anchored into a bamboo stake. in a particular place for a particular characteristics enable the plant to Grower: Mary Jo Gilsdorf.

374 ORCHIDS MAY 2006 WWW.AOS.ORG JAMES OSEN

WWW.AOS.ORG MAY 2006 ORCHIDS 375 movement varies widely through and ◆ Bleach and vinegar for cleaning cutting the long fiber into shorter within these growing spaces. We fuss pots. pieces. It is water retentive and over our plants, ignore them, water ◆ Newspaper. resistant to fungus and mold. Soak in heavily or lightly or some combination ◆ A notebook and pen. water before using but do not let it thereof. We are diligent in our repotting ◆ Non-oil-based hand cream. I stand in water for a long time (like or haphazard. We place them in pots or prefer Silicone Glove® by Avon be- weeks). Mold- and fungus-resistant hang them. These habits are significant cause it soaks in completely and allows does not mean mold- and fungus-proof. factors in the climate and environment you to wash off dirt easily through Tree Fern Available in several we provide. several hand washings. If it worked to grades and as mounts and pots. Plants The adaptative repotting approach keep printmaking inks from staining my that need a lot of air movement to allow balances all of these factors with the hands, it will work with orchid-potting their fine roots to dry quickly do best materials at hand. With a little debris. in tree fern. ingenuity, the number of different kinds ◆ Whatever else is handy for you Redwood Bark Available as chips of plants that you can support in your to use. Your experience will expand and fibers. More water retentive than environment may expand beyond its your list as you fine tune your fir and pine barks. Longer lasting and more obvious means. By matching approach. less prone to fungus and mold than materials and conditions to one POTTING MEDIA Gather a variety other organic materials. another, I can grow paphiopedilums of potting media. Some companies offer Pro-Mix®, Peat Mixes, Potting Soil and cattleyas, as well as calanthes and smaller quantities of hobby bags that Good basic ingredients for most vandas, among other various genera provide the opportunity to try new terrestrial orchids. Moisture retentive. spanning a variety of culture require- materials without a large investment. Dense, as it is basically a peat-based ments in my 8 × 10-foot (2.4 × 3-m) A partial list of potting media that you potting mix. basement light room. The types of may want to consider includes: Styrofoam Peanuts A frequent containers and media are microclimates Medium Bark A mainstay. Most inorganic additive to the base of pots in and of themselves within the plants benefit from a primary base of to increase drainage and air movement. parameters of the growing conditions. medium bark in the mix and it provides Do not use the kind that dissolves with THE POTTING BENCH To a good starting point, though I rarely water. approach repotting in practical terms, use medium bark alone in any mix. New Products The latest and prepare your potting station. Most of Charcoal Absorbs water and greatest media to experiment with. us have a favorite place to work. I promotes good air movement within the Something new seems to come up every converted a work bench in my basement mix. I keep two sizes on hand: No. 1 or couple years. Try it. At one time, bark into my potting area. Collect your tools No. 2 (large chunks) for use in baskets was cutting-edge. and potting materials. For tools: and for the bottom of some pots as a This is a partial list and, depending ◆ Several cutting and trimming base material for some plants, and No. 3 on your geographical area, there may tools: a box of razor blades, old kitchen or 4 ( ¼ to ½ inch; .6 to 1.25 cm) for use in be materials that better suit your knives, garden clippers, scissors. I mix. climate and growing environment. have found Chinese scissors, which I Perlite Water retentive, it keeps mix Other materials that I have tried found in a mail-order catalog, to be loose for aeration. Resists experimenting with include osmunda, handy. They are ambidextrous, with decomposition. Use of a face mask is rockwool, coconut husk, wine corks large hand-holds, and are made of steel strongly suggested to prevent inha- and various mounting materials such that easily sterilizes with a plumber’s lation of the fine powder associated with as tree-free totems, cork and tree propane torch. this material, which can be injurious to branches. Do not confine yourself to ◆ A potting stick (though I prefer your lungs. Wetting it prior to use my list or feel the need to incorporate my thumbs). Trim and file fingernails reduces the likelihood dust will be all of these different materials at once before you begin to prevent injury to inhaled. or all together. The adaptive repotting the plants as you repot. Aggregates Among the choices is approach is a process meant to be ◆ Rhizome clips, telephone wire, Aliflor®, which is inorganic. I am using modified and changed. Year by year, hairpins, paper clips, fishing line, more and more medium-grade Aliflor® for even small adjustments in the string, pantyhose, mesh bags and various reasons. For example, I place proportions of your custom mix can whatever else seems useful to secure Aliflor® in the base of pots instead of reap big results. Having a variety of the plants in or on their new containers. Styrofoam peanuts to increase humidity materials at hand will allow you to ◆ A handheld propane torch with in the root zone, or as a gravel layer for experiment freely in creating your own a lighter. plants requiring a lot of water, such as custom mixes for various genera. (For ◆ Several small buckets, plastic phragmipediums. I also include Aliflor® more information on potting materials, containers and bags for mixing custom in some mixes with Pro-Mix®, peat moss see “Getting Potted,” by Susan Jones, potting materials and solutions. or sphagnum moss to loosen up the mix. Orchids, Volume 71, Number 2, ◆ Fungicide, pesticide and growth Sphagnum Moss Long fiber and February 2002.) or root hormone chemicals. Disinfectant short fiber. It is said that the New CONTAINERS Keep various sizes such as RD-20® or Physan®. A popular Zealand long fiber lasts longer than the and types of potting containers at and effective homemade formula for generally less-expensive short fiber, but hand. Clay and plastic pots are Bug Juice is comprised of one part water, for some applications, a couple of available in a large variety of sizes, one-half part alcohol, one-half part pinches of the short fiber does the trick. depths and shapes. Readily available Formula 409® and a squirt of dish soap. Of course, one can spend the time too are wood baskets, plastic net pots,

376 ORCHIDS MAY 2006 WWW.AOS.ORG Ingredients for Potting Media

Charcoal Aliflor® Tree Fern

Sphagnum Moss Terrestrial Mix Perlite

Fine Bark Medium Bark Coconut Husk Chips PHOTOGRAPHS GREG ALLIKAS

and tree-fern pots and mounts. Cork from the old container. (If the plant premade mixes are commercially slabs are generally sold by the pound. resists, soaking it in water or even the available. If needed, secure the plant Look around for unusual containers handy tap of a hammer or clip of the in the pot with a rhizome clip or stake. during the year. Although a milk crate scissors may do the trick.) Using your Water well. This is a tried-and-true is not the most sophisticated of fingers, gently remove the old medium. method that has served many orchid containers, I saw a mature Zygopetalum With sterilized scissors or a razor blade, growers well through many years. It is mackayi growing well in one. Not only trim off dead roots and old pseu- a good starting point. did it support this large plant, the crate dobulbs that no longer provide energy The adaptive repotting approach made it more convenient to transport to the plant and have no viable roots. builds on the classic method and adds the specimen to the show table. There Place about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of Styrofoam is no limit to the materials or containers peanuts in the base of the new pot and introspection, observation, a dose of than your imagination and ingenuity set the plant in place. Fill with medium experimentation, a bit of creativity and can come up with to meet the needs of bark mix and pack firmly using a potting a helping of adventure and some risk. your plants, your environment and you. stick. (A standard bark mix is generally Know your boundaries, but be willing THE POTTING PROCESS With about one-half part medium bark, to push the edge a bit based on the classic repotting method, there are one-quarter part perlite and one- understandings gained from this a few standard steps. Remove the plant quarter part charcoal.) Many standard process.

WWW.AOS.ORG MAY 2006 ORCHIDS 377 Start with the plant and its moisture and water needs. Research the environment where the plant comes from and seek to mimic these conditions. This is not merely an exercise of recreating its native environment, but a creative use of the potting containers and media available to achieve supportive conditions within your particular growing space. One of the best ways to start the process is to assess your growing conditions in relationship to the needs of the plant. Close scrutiny of the plant at hand will reveal all you need to know. Observe the condition of the roots when the plant is taken out of its current pot. Rotten roots indicate too much moisture, due either to the medium or your watering habits or both. Dry, shriveled, stunted roots point to the same factors, but indicate the opposite GREG ALLIKAS — not enough moisture — or it is not retained long enough or they are some small changes like adding a third container to choose. Are the roots near showing signs of low humidity in a still of redwood bark or more inorganic the top of the pot or the bottom or environment. Roots accumulated at the materials will increase the life of the somewhere in the middle? Plants that surface of the pot can indicate too mix. Also, try incorporating more consistently hold their roots near the dense a potting medium or too high drainage material such as Styrofoam top of the pot, such as bulbophyllums humidity, while roots surrounding the peanuts or Aliflor® to the base of the and miltonias, may benefit from the use circumference could be seeking cooler pot. With some success, I have inverted of more shallow pots such as bulb temperatures or higher humidity if it is a smaller plastic net pot inside the base pans. Compare this with plants such a clay pot, or the need for greater air of the pot to increase air circulation as paphiopedilums and cochleanthes convection if the pot is made of plastic. within the root zone. The old potting that sink their roots into the medium; Some plants grow better out of the pot medium is a good indicator of the they benefit from deep pots. The plant instead of in it and these may be good collective effect of the growing may have most of its best roots outside candidates for mounting or even conditions, watering habits and of the container. Brassavola hybrids perching on a cluster of pots. medium on the health of the plant. seem to exhibit this characteristic. If the roots did not fare well due to In mixes, the materials to which the They, as I say, “like to sleep with their excess moisture, consider adding more roots affix and concentrate are great toes out of the covers.” Baskets, tree- inorganic materials, such as Aliflor®, indicators of what they need to fern pots and mounts of cork, wood or charcoal, perlite or combinations flourish. Certain materials, such as tree fern may allow these plants to thereof, to your custom mix. If the sphagnum moss, Pro-Mix®, rockwool, adapt better to your conditions. medium is too dry, add some organic peat moss and smaller-grade bark, are Observe the condition of the roots material, such as sphagnum moss, more water-retentive. Other materials, in relation to the type of pot that you redwood bark or fiber. Try some plants such as tree fern, perlite, osmunda, used the previous year. When kept of the same genus in plastic pots and Aliflor®, charcoal, Styrofoam peanuts moist, clay pots provide a source of some in clay. Mount a few if your and large bark, provide good drainage humidity that can be a great tool for conditions permit. Compare the and air movement. Inorganic materials the windowsill grower and also for differences in growth year to year. are smart choices for those of us who keeping the roots of some plants cool. Approach your containers and potting dread repotting and for plants that are Clay pots are good evaporators and will media as a palette of colors. And if better left potbound. The size of the dry out faster so they are good for what you are using looks like it is material also contributes to its qualities. those of us with a heavy hand in working well, follow your notes from Medium or large bark is looser and less watering. Plastic pots hold moisture in last year. water retentive than seedling or fine- to a greater extent initially but retain Analyze the old potting medium. bark mixes. By observing the condition less moisture in and of themselves. To quote Marshall McLuhan, “The of the mix used during the previous Dendrobiums seem to do best in tight medium is the message.” How potting cycle, you can customize your plastic pots. Baskets, plastic or wood, decomposed is it? If, after a year, it is new mix for your conditions and habits are open containers for those genera already a miniature compost pile in a to the indications of the roots to a benefiting from good air circulation. pot, adjust, if not for the health of the greater degree. There are many kinds of mounts plant, for your own time management WHAT ROOTS REVEAL The available as well, with wood, tree fern needs. Start using materials that are growth habit of the roots provides and cork being the most common. And less prone to decomposition. Even information about what type of think outside of the box. I have seen

378 ORCHIDS MAY 2006 WWW.AOS.ORG GREG ALLIKAS

an orchid thriving when anchored in a After realizing in a panic one autumn OPPOSITE Wood slat baskets, which are ball of sphagnum contained in an onion that there was no way to fit all of my available in a variety of sizes, provide bag hung from a hook. plants back in the house after being excellent air circulation around the roots. Based upon your observation of the summered outside, I built a light room ABOVE Clay and plastic pots are popular roots and the condition of the previous — replastered and waterproofed my for growing orchids in many environments, mix, you can begin conservatively by basement walls, hung plastic to protect from windowsill to greenhouse. Orchid pots making subtle changes to your mix from the joists and added a high-intensity- year to year and genus to genus. Or discharge (HID) light on a track. have either round holes or vertical slits in you can break through and take some Generally, my temperatures stay in an the sides of the container (above left and risks for potentially greater rewards. intermediate range (60 to 75 F; 15 to 24 center), although pots with drain holes in This is where making some notes year C) but the humidity ranges from 70 to the bottom work equally well. to year and repotting all of the plants in 95 percent. The first year I had a lot of certain genera at the same general time plants sleeping with their toes out of with other plants, such as coch- can be beneficial in developing your the covers. So keep in mind that my leanthes, I use Aliflor® at the base of understanding of the subject matter. This results will vary from yours. The the pot because it packs more densely, way, you can observe and compare the adaptive repotting approach is a thereby preventing the Pro-Mix® from results of the previous year and highlight process, not an exact recipe. I never washing out readily. It also retains them in subsequent years. Over time, I follow recipes anyway, but I’m going more moisture, increasing the humidity have developed different mixes for to guess that you figured that out in the root zone. cattleyas, vandas, paphiopedilums, already. I noticed that paphiopedilums dendrobiums, and the terrestrial bo- Brassias were sinking their roots grown in a finer mix to which I had tanicals such as calanthes, pescatoreas deep into the pots and most of them added 1 tablespoon per pot of oyster and cochleanthes. I continue to develop were growing in the Styrofoam peanuts shell grew stronger and were more each of these mixes year by year. Do not I had placed at the base. Through the vigorous. I later observed that the hesitate to experiment with plants that years, I substituted more and more roots of those plants in Paphiopedilum communicate through the condition of peanuts for less bark in the mix. Not section Brachypetalum adhered to their roots that they are not adapting only are they doing better with the these small pieces of calcium. Plants well to what is working for others. increased air movement and drainage, in section Brachypetalum, such as A few examples provide further but I am now spending less time Paphiopedilum niveum and Paphio- guidance. Of course, these examples repotting. The roots are now more pedilum concolor are typically found on reflect my personal growing conditions. evenly distributed in the container. But limestone cliffs, so now I’m looking for

WWW.AOS.ORG MAY 2006 ORCHIDS 379 some small pieces of limestone to use virus. (A side note about virus: I indicating which plants need to be as ballast for a few of these plants next recently tested most of my collection more tightly contained and which do year to see what happens. and some plants that I thought had better with more air around their roots. The vandas that did best in my virus did not and some that I thought Rotting roots indicate that the medium is conditions were those in baskets into were fine were infected. The bottom line too water retentive and too tightly which I placed large No.1 charcoal is that you cannot always tell so it is packed. Either way, secure the plant using chunks along with wine corks. But this best to take precautions to prevent the rhizome clips, telephone wire, hair pins, year, I am trying a few in osmunda spread of virus from plant to plant.) unfolded paper clips, pantyhose or string. nests. In a drier northern climate, ◆ Pot for the root mass, not the ◆ Do not ignore signs of insect adding material to the vanda baskets is size of the plant’s foliage. Use the infestation or rot when repotting. indicated, whereas in Florida the plants smallest container you can into which Repotting provides an opportunity to do better bare-rooted in the baskets the roots fit. You can always add a rock address troublesome issues more due to the higher humidity levels. or other weight into the base of the pot completely and conclusively. I have I am comparing the growth of to keep it from tipping. Or you can place soaked bare-rooted plants in a solution tolumnias in clay pots with Aliflor® or the pot into another one for a heavier figuring I would kill what ails them or No. 3 charcoal and mounted on cork base. I unwittingly provided a perfect the plant, knowing one or the other was with coconut husk, as well as a few environment for a Chysis this way by going to happen. attached on tree fern using coconut potting it in a small plastic net pot with ◆ Sterilize all tools between husk fibers or sphagnum as a cushion bark and sphagnum and placed it into a plants. While some botanical dis- for the plant. I spent last year picking larger clay pot to hold it upright. The infectant products boast that they will out the sphagnum, as that did not seem plant prospered, spreading roots kill viruses, I tend to rely on sterilizing to be beneficial to the plants. through the net materials and along the the tools with a handheld propane Do not overlook the combination of clay pot that provided higher humidity torch. Using single-edge razor blades the container and media types. I have a and great air movement. If a plant has and disposing of them after each plant Bifrenaria that is doing well in a wood poor roots, try placing it in the smallest is also a successful strategy. And the basket with shards of clay pots and pot with seedling mix and sphagnum obvious — frequent hand-washing occasional clumps of sphagnum inside moss soaked in a rooting hormone. with antibacterial soap — is recom- of it. These are but a few examples. ◆ An orchid plant needs to be mended. Hence, the hand cream on the HINTS FOR SUCCESS Whatever secure in its container or on its mount tool list. And don’t forget to clean the your approach, here are a few tricks of because new roots easily break. For potting stick too. the trade: most potting media, it should be ◆ Although I feared that people ◆ Do your repotting on top of a well packed, with the exception of were mocking me when I mentioned the pile of sheets of newspaper. After each sphagnum moss. Plants seem to grow following, some others with modest plant, you can roll up the newspaper better in sphagnum moss when the collections are now doing it. After and clear away the old medium easily sphagnum is circled fairly tightly trimming the roots, I dip each plant into and quickly. Keeping your potting area around the top of the plant but a good a disinfectant solution with RD-20® or clean and materials from one plant away portion inside the base of the pot is Phyton®. Then I rinse the roots and from others is standard operating left free of material. The adaptive soak them for a few minutes in a solution procedure to prevent the spread of approach will guide you in this regard of rooting hormone such a K-L-N® or

Call for Entries for the 2006 Competition

THE Gordon W. Dillon/Richard C. Peterson Memorial Essay ◆ Manuscripts must be submitted in English, typewritten Prize is an annual writing competition. The winner receives a and double spaced. cash prize and a certificate suitable for framing. Open to ◆ Submissions will be judged without knowledge of the amateur and professional writers, it was established in 1985 identity of the author. by the AOS’s Northeast Judging Center to honor the memory ◆ Artwork is not necessary for entering this competition. of two former editors of the AOS Bulletin (now Orchids). ◆ The decision of the judges is final. If no entries meet the Gordon Dillon served as editor from 1943 through 1968 and expected criteria of excellence, the award may be withheld. again from 1970 through 1973. Richard Peterson’s name first ◆ Nonwinning entries will be returned to the contestant if appeared on the masthead of the AOS Bulletin in April 1971 requested. Such entries are eligible for resubmission in as associate editor. In 1973, he was named editor and, upon subsequent contests. These nonwinning entries also will be Dillon’s retirement in 1977, he became the executive director, considered for publication by the editor of Orchids and may retaining his position of editor through 1984. be used in Orchids or other AOS publications with the 2006 Theme The 2006 theme for the Dillon/Peterson written permission of the author. Published entries will not Essay Prize is Moving an Orchid Collection. be eligible for consideration in subsequent contests. Contest Rules Membership in the American Orchid Entering Submit all entries to the Dillon/Peterson Society is not necessary to enter the contest. Memorial Essay Prize at AOS headquarters: Jane Mengel, ◆ The essay must be an original unpublished article. 16700 AOS Lane, Delray Beach, FL 33446 (telephone 561- ◆ The contest is open to all persons except employees of 404-2043; e-mail [email protected]). the American Orchid Society and their immediate families. Deadline November 30, 2006. ◆ Submissions must be no more than 5,000 words in length. Questions Jane Mengel (e-mail [email protected]).

380 ORCHIDS MAY 2006 WWW.AOS.ORG Superthrive®. To prevent the spread of virus, the solution for each should be changed between plants. Of course, my collection has only about 300 plants. I think I might use another technique if I had 3,000. Following repotting, for the next two months I add some rooting hormone to the water solution for the plants, unless they are showing signs of spiking. ◆ At the earliest, most opportune time, before introduction into a collection, repot all new plants. While I questioned my own compulsive behavior in this regard, I do have to report that by doing this I probably saved myself a lot of future problems by discovering some hitchhikers, fungal problems and other issues before they spread to the rest of my plants. ◆ Whenever a plant is showing signs of trouble, offense is the best defense. Repot the plant and look at the roots. Treat if necessary. Change the potting medium and correct the issues observed. ◆ Thoroughly clean any pots that you choose to recycle. A bath of vinegar solution will dissolve mineral build-up (1 cup to 1 gallon; 240 ml to MAURICE MARIETTI 3.8 L). Soaking in a bleach solution is 1 Mary Jo Gilsdorf first became intrigued ABOVE Paphiopedilum Black Diamond an effective disinfectant ( /2 cup to 1 with orchids during family visits to ‘Lil’, HCC/AOS (delenatii × fairrieanum), gallon; 120 ml to 3.8 L). After each Longwood Gardens as a small child treatment, rinse the pots well. Pots was the author’s first plant to win an AOS with her grandmother, Lil. In high award; she named it in honor of her soaked in bleach should sit in a plain school, when her family moved to grandmother, Lil. When the plant flowered water solution for at least a day Puerto Rico, she developed this interest in December, it had a 6-inch (15-cm) afterward to allow the chlorine to through raising her first orchids and dissipate fully. I know someone who exploring the El Yunque Rainforest. leafspan. It is grown in a 2-inch- (5-cm-) places pots in the dishwasher, although When she went to college and later, law wide plastic pot in a light room. To anchor I have no idea how long that dish- school, she left her orchids behind but the weight of the plant and to provide a bit washer will last after several batches of maintained an interest in them, and in more humidity at the roots, a layer of clay pots. Some bake their clay pots in her travels to California, Colorado, medium Aliflor® is placed in the bottom of ovens. The key is to sterilize them to Peru and Ecuador observed them in the container. On top of this is placed a mix prevent the spread of virus. If you find their native habitats. Mary Jo began her of two parts fine bark, one part medium out that a plant has virus, discard the hobby in earnest again several years pot along with the plant. It may just be perlite, one part No. 2 charcoal and 1 ago. She raises her collection of about tablespoon (15 ml) oyster shells. Twice a easier to buy new pots. 325 orchids in a variety of genera on year, a top dressing with a healthy pinch of Instead of approaching the task of windowsills, outdoors and in her oyster shells is applied. Grower: Mary Jo potting with dread of the rote activity basement light room. She is in her second of shaking loose medium, trimming year as an AOS student judge in the Mid- Gilsdorf. roots, replacement into a new pot and Atlantic Region. She is a member of filling and securing with bark, open up several local, national and inter- to adventure. While standard mixes and national orchid societies and enjoys potting protocols may serve some of speaking to them on her favorite topic. your plants in your conditions, Mary Jo works for a major regional experiment based on your observations construction management company as in- and a frank and critical eye of your own house counsel. 430 South Olive Street, habits. Take a creative use approach Media, Pennsylvania 19063 (e-mail to materials available and enjoy [email protected]). the results. The adaptive repotting approach is a key to success in repotting of orchids. And success in repotting is success in growing.