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Caring for Your Orchids and Yourself - Part II

May 27, 2010

Now we’ll continue with our comparison of info from our own orchid repotting page and how to apply the same basic concepts to improve your own life at the same time. (Like they do in the book “Repotting: 10 Steps for Redesigning Your Life”.)

5. Settle the orchid into its new home, placing it so that the base of the lowest leaf is
approximately a half-inch below the rim or the same depth as the previous container. Gently scatter the new media around the roots pressing it down lightly with your fingers, and then carefully tap the pot to settle the media. Continue to add media until it reaches the base of the lowest leaf.

Meanwhile…step into a new role, or a revitalized version of an old one, and begin to settle in.

6. To check if you have repotted your orchid correctly, gently lift the plant up by the stem without having the pot fall off. If the pot falls off, the media was too loose. In this case, just start over; this won’t harm the plant at all.
Meanwhile…see if the new way of doing things is a good fit. If it doesn’t feel right yet, make small adjustments. Remember, if it really doesn’t take, you can always start over.

7. To encourage root growth after repotting, place in a warm location and withhold from watering by misting the plant over a 10 day period making sure the leaves are dry by nightfall.
Meanwhile…give yourself some time to adjust to new things. Be gentle with yourself.

8. After 10 days you can go back to your easy orchid watering schedule of 3 ice cubes per week!
Meanwhile…After giving it some time, it may have become part of you and your new perspective on life. Daily routines can be comforting, but don’t let them allow you to forget to do your spring cleaning!