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Is It Time to Repot Your Just Add Ice Orchid?

December 16, 2011

With most orchid plants, a few roots typically protrude above the soil. This can make it a bit difficult for new orchid owners to know when it’s time to repot their Just Add Ice Orchid. Basically, there are three indicators that your orchid has outgrown its current living space.

If any one of these indicators is present, it’s time to start shopping for a larger orchid pot:
  1. Repot when your Just Add Ice orchid plant outgrows its container. A few bumpy roots jutting from the soil don’t necessarily indicate a need to repot your orchid plant. However, if the orchid's roots appear to be densely crowded and compacted or if roots begin to sprout from the plant stem at or directly below the lowest leaves or if whole roots begin to grow over the sides of the pot in long tendrils, it is definitely time to repot your Just Add Ice Orchid.
  2. Repot if the potting medium begins to break down into compost. With time, all of the nutrients can be leached from the orchid-growing medium and the soil will begin to break down into a fine, silty compost. When this occurs, three things happen: (1) There will not be enough soil to adequately support your plant and hold it upright. (2) Your Just Add Ice Orchid will no longer be receiving the nutrients required for healthy, robust plant growth. (3) Because silt holds a greater amount of water than healthy growing medium, the roots of your Just Add Ice Orchid will remain perpetually immersed in overly-wet soil which can cause the plant roots to rot. Repotting your orchid in fresh orchid growing medium will resolve these problems.
  3. Repot if the potting medium develops a sour odor. Nasty odors are a sign of decay. If the rots are not trimmed, any decayed or diseased portions removed and the plant repotted, it will fail.