A visit to my greenhouse to repot my orchids

February 1, 2010

A visit to my greenhouse to repot my orchids

Recently, Tom Purviance, co-owner of Parkside Orchid Nursery in Ottsville, Pennsylvania, was a guest on my television show. He brought several beautiful specimens of unusual varieties of orchids that his nursery is known for. We discussed how the orchid family is the most numerous in the plant kingdom, with 30 to 40 thousand known species. There are two types of orchids - terrestrial, which grow on the ground and epiphytes, which establish themselves on trees. The vast majority of orchids are epiphytes and to successfully grow them in containers, requires some special materials, such as orchid media and orchid pots or baskets. On the show, Tom Purviance also demonstrated how to plant an orchid basket.

When Shaun Kass, my gardener, saw that episode, he became inspired to repot all the orchids in the greenhouse. They had been growing in the same pots for many years and he felt they would benefit from the attention. Shaun contacted Parkside Orchid Nursery and learned a great deal more about how orchids should be repotted and which potting media to use with which orchids. When the supplies arrived the other day, Shaun and Wilmer got busy and started repotting all of my 250 plus orchids! We can't wait to see how they grow!

: This is the phalaenopsis potting media. It contains medium fir bark, medium charcoal, medium perlite, and chunky peat moss.

: You can see just how chunky these orchid medias are.

: Orchid media should be soaked in water for several hours or overnight before using.

: Shaun used this large rubber pail for soaking.

: Wilmer is removing this orchid from its pot.

: Orchid roots need a lot of air circulation and orchid pots should have air holes like this one.

: All the old potting media is removed from the roots.

: With sterilized shears, any dead roots are cut away.

: It’s important to remove unproductive roots to increase air circulation for the live ones.

: All trimmed and healthy

: All of this old material will, of course, be taken to the composting area.

: It’s important to give the used pots a good soaking in warm, sudsy water.

: Shaun then scrubs each pot clean with a stiff pot brush.

: The head house is equipped with deep stainless sinks for jobs like this one.

: Many of my orchid pots were thrown for me by master potter, Guy Wolff. www.guywolff.com

: This is how the orchid mix comes – one bag goes a long way.

: A different mix for different orchids.

: As you can see, this special orchid fertilizer has been blended specifically for well water, which we have here at the farm. Shaun will feed the orchids the next time they get watered.