by johnah on October 31, 2020
Types Of Pots For Orchids – Are There Special Containers For Orchid Plants?
There are many types of pots for orchids. Some are made from natural materials such as wood, stone, clay and even metal. Others have been designed specifically for orchids. These include special containers made of glass, acrylic, ceramic and even plastic! All these kinds of pots are available in different sizes and shapes.
Glass orchid pots are most commonly used for indoor plants. They are usually round, oval, square and rectangular. These pots are very durable and can withstand harsh conditions like high temperatures and humidity levels. Glass orchid pot is not only beautiful but it helps keep your plant healthy too!
Ceramic orchid pots come in various shapes and sizes. You may see them shaped into bowls, vases, cups, plates etc. Ceramic orchid pots are also durable and can handle higher temperatures than glass ones.
Plastic orchid pots are generally made of polyethylene (PE) plastic. PE is a strong material which is resistant to UV rays and heat. Plastic orchid pots are not only attractive but they help prevent pests from eating your precious plants! They do not break easily either so you don’t need to worry about breaking them when transporting your plants around!
Acrylic orchid pots are usually clear so that you can easily see the plant inside. They are made from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). These are not only durable but lightweight too! It is for this reason that they are used commonly to display plants in shops and nurseries.
Orchid pots made of wood are generally sturdy and long-lasting. The type of wood they are made from determines how durable they are. These are also generally lightweight too though so they are easy to handle when moving or repotting the plant inside.
Unusual types of orchid pots include metal and woven ‘envelope’ pots. These are quite rare and uncommon. They do have some advantages with metal pots being very durable while the envelope type can help drainage and keeping the root environment moist longer.
Besides these kinds of pots, you can also buy special orchid pots which are designed for the specific requirements of each orchid species. These pots can help the roots grow better and achieve a better health condition for the plant inside! Certain pots are designed to fit a phalenopsis or another type of orchid plant. These pots have holes in them to allow the roots grow through.
This is useful as it helps prevent root rot.
A good pot should have the drain hole at the bottom so that water can easily drain away. It should also have a saucer to catch the water so that it doesn’t all run over the table top or whatever surface you have put it on, making a wet patch!
The texture of the pot is also important. Some have very tiny pores so that the water drains through very quickly while others have more pores and water can remain in the pot for longer. If you are growing the plant in a colder environment, consider a pot with smaller pores as this will retain the water for longer, keeping the roots warmer.
In addition, the colour of the pot may impact the plant. Some colours may prove too bright while others may be more calming for the plant. You can even buy transparent pots so that you can enjoy watching the colourful root system grow below.
While most pots are circular, other shapes such as squares and triangles are also available. You can even get pots that have multiple removable pots inside them so that you can individually take the orchid plant out of each pot to propagate it. This kind of pot is very handy if you have many orchids and limited space for pots.
An orchid pot need not just be a container for your orchid. You can also use it to help you display the plant and make it look more unique or attractive. Some pots have artistic designs on them or are shaped in interesting ways. You can stand these pots on a tray to collect any water that drains from the pot.
This not only helps the environment by reducing water wastage but also prevents any damage caused by dampness.
Orchid plants are popular for both their beauty as well as their intricate root systems which can grow up to several feet long. Most orchids are epiphytes, which means they grow on trees in their natural environment. These types of orchids can be found growing on trees and therefore do not need a pot to grow in, however most of them are grown in pots.
These plants have an extensive network of roots that spread out through the pot. Each of these roots is extremely efficient at seeking out nutrients and water in the soil. Most orchids prefer a mixture of peat moss, bark and other substances which provide nutrients for the plant as well as helping to retain water.
Some plants have thick roots while others have very thin roots. You can trim the roots of your orchid if they begin to grow into the pathways or areas where they will not be access to nutrition or water.
The potting traditions for these plants differ from those of most house plants. Most orchids need to be repotted at specific times so that they have a pot that offers the right balance of root space and nutrients. Having the wrong sized pot can actually stunt the growth and proliferation of your orchids roots which will in turn prevent it from growing and flowering.
Most orchids should be potted in small pots. Having somewhere between one and two inches of potting mixture in the container will be sufficient for most orchid roots to thrive in.
The main thing you want to avoid is having the roots exposed to the air. This can dry them out and cause your plant stress which could prevent it from blooming.
Some plants are aggressive growers, meaning that they need to be re-potted more frequently than others. If you don’t re-pot them, the roots will become pot-bound and unable to uptake the nutrients they need.
When re-potting your orchid, you should make sure you only use a small amount of potting mixture to ensure that the roots do not get too crowded. The main reason for needing to re-pot is that the roots have filled up the existing container and can no longer access nutrients and water.
Sources & references used in this article:
Container opacity and media components influence rooting of potted Phalaenopsis and Doritaenopsis orchids by MG Blanchard, ES Runkle – … Workshop on Ornamental Plants 788, 2007 – actahort.org
Current status of orchid production in Thailand by K Thammasiri – II International Orchid Symposium 1078, 2014 – actahort.org
New methods to improve symbiotic propagation of temperate terrestrial orchid seedlings from axenic culture to soil by AL Batty, MC Brundrett, KW Dixon… – Australian Journal of …, 2006 – CSIRO
Micropropagation of orchids by J Arditti – 2009 – books.google.com
Terrestrial orchids: from seed to mycotrophic plant by HN Rasmussen – 1995 – books.google.com
Nonsymbiotic germination of orchid seeds by L Knudson – Botanical gazette, 1922 – journals.uchicago.edu
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