A few months ago I spontaneously purchased my first orchids (cattleyas and ocidiums) at a Lowes because they were 50% off --- they were healthy plants but had just finished blooming. I bought some orchid potting mix, brought them home, and repotted them into clay pots that I had at the house. Since then I have done a lot of reading and internet research on how to take care of orchids. I now realize that I repotted the orchids into pots that are way, way too big. My dumb orchid rookie question for you experienced orchid caregivers out there is: since orchids should not be repotted any more than absolutely necessary (every 2-3- years) is it better for these orchids if I just let them alone, or should I repot them into more appropriately sized (much smaller) pots? Thanks for your help.
A repotting question from an orchid rookie
It might be an idea to repot into a small pot but more important is the time of repotting. Do not repot until you see new roots growing from the newest growths, otherwise you may loose the entire plant, regardless to the size of the pot. The problem with overpotting is that the media in the center of the pots has a tendency to stay too wet if there are not enough roots and this can then lead to root rot. Smaller pots allow the roots and media to dry more quickly and nothing kills an orchid quicker than soggy media.
YardenMan, Cattleyas and oncidiums are epiphytes and need good air circulation around the roots. I use a masonry drill bit and make 7 or 8 holes around the side of my clay pots. I use clay pots because it helps stabilize the top heavy growth. Some orchid nurseries sell glazed orchid pots with decorative cut-outs. Pricey though. Now would be a good time to plant the orchids into smaller pots. Many cattleyas are at the end of their blooming period and are putting out new roots. Oncidiums haven't bloomed yet, but neither have they sent out blooming stalks so you wouldn't be stressing them any more. Leaving in the large pots, you do risk losing the orchids to rot. You also defer blooming, sometimes by years, as the plants will spend their energy filling the pot with roots. BettyDee