Orchids - transparent pots or not?

Should Orchids be in transparent pots or not?

I've been watching a few videos on YouTube regarding Orchids and I noticed that they use ordinary plant pots with drainage holes, rather than transparent pots. Years ago, I changed all mine to transparent pots because I read that the roots will benefit from the light but now I'm wondering whether that was necessary. All mine are phalaenopsis.

 

Transparent pots are the best for orchids which in the wild would be epiphitic, i.e. growing high up in trees in a forest. They need light to reach their roots, which turn green and act as extra chlorophyll makers.

Orchids which naturally live in the soil, like the wild British orchids in my garden, don’t need clear plastic pots because their roots are naturally hidden beneath the ground and are in the dark.

 

Thank you.

Yes, I think I'll stick with the transparent pots. The RHS also recommend transparent pots so I'm happy to go along with it.

 

A few weeks ago I bought an orchid (to try yet again) but it's in a dark pot. Should I repot it ? and is that why all the ones I've ever tried have died on me ?

 

I've always found, Phalaenopsis anyway, make enough roots outside the pot to make up the difference.

 

Ordinary pots for Cymbidium and Dendrobium.

 

Reading a book by Wilma Ritterhausen she dosent recommend see through pots dosent think it makes any difference in fact she says the green on the roots is caused by algae made by the light and moisture.

 

The roots only appear green when wet, they are a silver/grey colour when dry.

 

I always just try to replicate the conditions that a plant would naturally find itself in. For example, Azaleas in acidic, peaty type soil, water lilies in water, epiphytic orchids stuck to a tree trunk using their aerial roots, with daylight and night time, warmth, “rainfall” that doesn’t lie about, with total drainage and little food.

The exterior “skin” of the aerial roots is greyish, but if you cut into one it does have chlorophyll inside it.

 

For Phals most of the users in an old orchid forum we used to be in agreed that clear pots are best.

It allows light to get to the roots, more so on younger/new plants where the roots are contained, bigger and older plants where the roots are allowed out like @pete mentions can be fine without.

A clear pot allows you to view some of the roots in the bark and so know when to water.
The roots on top of the compost may look dry and white but if the ones down in the pot are still green /dark looking they probaly only need a top misting, not a full watering.

 

What type is it ?

If a Phal, and even temperature, ideally not going below 14c is needed and direct sunlight avoided, though a windows geting early east or late west sunshine probably ok.

A common practice with Phals is the growers sometimes start them in a moss bundle then place it in a pot of bark, but the moss bundle can sometimes be so tight the roots cannot grow out or the moss retains too much water and the roots rot.

We usually carefully take any new phals out of their pots to check and remove any such tightly packed moss. Loose moss not so much a problem though again it can retain too much water if nt careful.

 

We've grown orchid in clear and coloured pots and not noticed any difference.

 

I don't know, the label is lost. It started with O ... 'Onyx' ? or something like that, it definitely had a letter 'y' in it. It had small flowers that looked like stars. I thought I'd taken a photo but I can't find it.

 

Oncidium??

 

Sorry, it's called Inca, I just remembered I don't know why I thought it had an O and a Y ... senior moment probably