The orchid flower never grow again since I bought it two years ago until this moment! Nice, isnt it? I guess this is because two months ago I removed some dead roots and replaced the pot with a bigger one (if you don't agree, please let me know).
My question is: Do you think those in the amplified part of the picture are roots of the orchid? What I should do?
That is a Phalaenopsis orchid, sometimes called a "moth orchid". Yes those are roots.
When well established, they might bloom every year. But repotting might delay them a year or even two. The best potting mix is small bark chips (usually pine bark). (Note: Some other orchids (e.g., Cymbidium) bloom best when they are pot-bound.)
Water it only once a week. Hold the pot in one hand over a sink, with your hand blocking the drain hole. Carefully pour water into the pot until the water level is at the top of the pot; then let the water drain out. Every other week, mix orchid fertilizer into the water according to directions on the fertilizer container. (I use 1/4 teaspoon to a quart of water.) Be very careful not to allow even a drop of water into the center of the plant (where new leaves grow); water there can cause the plant to rot and die.
Setup a large saucer with small pebbles. Place the pot on top of the pebbles. Pour water into the saucer until just a few pebbles stick out above the water. This provides necessary humidity.
Orchids are not potted like that, they are air rooted (those roots are attempting to reach air so they can breathe, they do not take in nutrients through their roots, only water, and only briefly... in the rain forest they typically grow on fiborous tree bark and recieve water periodically when it rains, otherwise orchid roots need to be dry. You can wire your orchid to a piece of orchid growing medium, a slab of pourous material typically sold at plant nurseries.. there are also special orchid pots that are purposely made with many openings. Orchids do best with high humidity.... some people mist them several times a day.
It looks like you've got it potted in orchid mix (bark chips) and it's in a clay pot which lets the roots "breathe" since unglazed clay is very porous. I imagine the plant should do fine. No. You shouldn't have to put anything around the outside of the pot. Orchids, especially Phals like yours, like to wave their roots around in the wind. At repotting time, you can very gently tuck these back into the pot, but the plant will likely just grow more air roots. This is a very natural thing and nothing to worry or be at all concerned about. It's the way orchids grow. As someone else mentioned, just be careful about letting water get into the crown and stand there, as that can cause rot to set in which may kill the plant. If you do get water in the crown, simply lay the pot on its side for a while so the water can run back out and the crown (growing point) can air dry. If you have a fan, gently running it helps as these plants like air circulation. Just don't BLAST them with air. :/
Most orchids you can find in grocery stores or nurseries are not nearly as delicate as people make them out to be. Good luck and good growing! :)
* ** * Karen C. Southern CT / USDA Zone 6 Spammers be damned! I can't be emailed from this account...
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