Is it possible to replant an orchid while it is blooming?

With the appearance of flowers, any plant becomes especially vulnerable and capricious. To answer the question of whether it is possible to replant an orchid during flowering, you need to evaluate the possible benefits and harms. In one situation it will be better to change the substrate and pot, in another - wait until the pet has flowered. However, you need to understand that transplantation is always associated with risk. A flowering plant needs careful and attentive treatment. If you decide to transplant it, you must strictly follow all the rules.

When should you not replant an orchid?

Very often the idea of ​​replanting an orchid arises almost out of nowhere. For example, after viewing photographs of beautiful specimens covered with flowers, or reading an article about the nuances of care or diseases of the species. Some people think that the orchid pot has become too small, while others think it’s time to change the substrate. In such cases, you should not replant the plant while it is blooming. A much more compelling reason is needed for a transplant.

In addition to the availability of indications, you need to take into account the time of year. Transplantation in the autumn-winter period, even during flowering, with a 50% probability will end in the death of the plant. This is all due to poor lighting due to short daylight hours, lack of heat and the biological rhythm of flowers. In winter, all living things fall asleep and practically do not grow. It is better to replant indoor flowers in early spring or early summer.

Indications for transplanting a flowering plant

Phalaenopsis orchid experts advise not to touch the plant again, so as not to harm it. With these indoor flowers, as they say, it is better to “under” than “over” (under-care, under-water, etc.).

Indications for transplanting a blooming orchid are as follows:

• rotting of the root system;
• detection of cobwebs, midges or insect eggs in the substrate.

At the same time, you need to look at the condition of the plant as a whole. Several dead roots are normal. If the orchid is actively blooming, its leaves look healthy and rot is not spreading, it is better to hold off on replanting. Conversely, the dropping of flowers and leaves, the rapid deterioration in the appearance of the flower - all this indicates that measures need to be taken immediately.

How to properly replant an orchid?

When replanting a flowering orchid with rotting roots or if pests are found in a pot, the first thing to do is cut off the peduncle. Even after being cut, it can stand in water for a very long time - up to 2 months. If replanting a plant is mostly a whim, then the peduncle can be left. But it is not a fact that the inflorescences themselves will not fall off.

Transplant instructions:

1. Prepare the substrate. Its base should be pine bark (you can only use it). Additionally, the soil may contain sphagnum moss, fern roots, and charcoal. You need to focus on good ventilation and looseness of the substrate. Only large components, 1.5–3 cm in size, are suitable for an orchid. Some people prepare pine bark themselves - in this case it is important to clean it well and boil it.
2. Prepare the pot. Good ventilation is very important for an orchid. It is better if the holes are located around the entire perimeter of the pot, and not just at the bottom.To monitor the condition of the root system, it is recommended to choose transparent or translucent plastic. The size of the pot should not be significantly larger than the volume of the roots. The plant has difficulty mastering new space and likes to grow in relatively close quarters.
3. Remove the orchid from the old substrate. To do this, you need to soak it in water for 10 minutes - then the roots will swell and become more pliable. You will need to carefully remove them by tapping the walls of the pot. Do not peel off the stuck bark or untangle the roots that have stuck together in a lump, so as not to further injure the plant!
4. If midges, insect eggs or cobwebs were found in the substrate, you should immerse the entire plant for 5 minutes in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. Next, you need to treat the orchid with Fitoverm. At the final stage, the foliage is well soaped with laundry soap and washed with clean water. If no pests were found, this item should be skipped.
5. Remove dead and rotting roots. For pruning, use sharp pruning shears disinfected with medical alcohol. The root is cut to the living area, and the cut is treated with charcoal or cinnamon (powder).
6. You need to replant the orchid in a clean, disinfected pot. First lay out a large bark on the bottom. The plant is then placed inside and the voids are filled with a finer substrate. It is very convenient to lay the roots using a pencil or stick. Aerial roots are left on the surface, like the growing point. The orchid should not wobble, but it should not be deeply buried.

To reduce the stress of transplantation, it is useful to give the orchid a bath with the drug “Epin”.It strengthens the plant’s immunity, stimulates the growth and development of the root system, and helps to recover from damage. The ampoule is diluted according to the instructions and the roots of the plant are placed in the solution for 30 minutes.

It is not advisable to replant an orchid during flowering. This rule is neglected only when the plant risks dying without replanting - it is entwined with cobwebs, midges have settled in the substrate, and insects have begun to lay eggs. Then the peduncle is cut off, and the flower is processed properly and planted in new soil. In the next 4 days, do not water the orchid and refrain from feeding for 4 weeks.