Growing two orchids in one pot?

[Katja Schulz]

I am relatively new to orchid growing. I got a pink Phalaenopsis as a
present a couple of years ago, and when I got it to bloom a second
time, I got so excited that I bought another one, this one pure white
(also Phalaenopsis). Unfortunately, I don't know the species for
either.

Both plants are currently finishing a flowering bout, and I am
thinking about doing my very first orchid repotting in a few weeks.
Would it be a terribly bad thing to put the two plants into one pot?
I like the idea of having their flowers in a display next to one
another (if I can make that happen again), and I am thinking of
getting a relatively large oval bowl that would hold both plants
comfortably on opposite sides. There would probably be some touching
of roots & competing for resources sooner or later, and I wonder if
maybe orchids are very bad at dealing with that sort of thing.

I would appreciate input from anybody who has had experience with
doublepotting. Thanks in advance.

Katja

[David Jewell]

Well its nothing that I would try but hey I am no professional. My
suggestion would be grow them separate and buy a dish large enough to hold
two pots together that way they could be displayed together but grown
separately.

Dave
"Katja Schulz" <tree...@ag.arizona.edu> wrote in message
news:986cd46f.02082...@posting.google.com...

[Wendy]

Good suggestion David.
Katja, usually the ceramic type fancy pots do not have very good drainage,
you need lots of holes or your plant roots will rot in no time at all.
Cheers Wendy
"David Jewell" <d_je...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:zSVa9.4861$uF.7...@news20.bellglobal.com...

[Susan Erickson]

Another thought. If one of the plants does not do well, if they
are in 2 pots sharing a cache pot, you can swap out the poor
performer and put something else in. Not that you would have a
plant that does not do well.

SuE

[Diana Kulaga]

Also, though many Phals are fairly predictable re: blooming times, many are
not, so it's entirely possible that they might not bloom together anyway.
But the big thing to stress is what's been hinted at: put 'em together,
lose one, lose both. David's idea is best, for many reasons.

Diana

"Susan Erickson" <eric...@qwest.net> wrote in message
news:q0upmugmmfioaos75...@4ax.com...

[David Jewell]

Just thought of this reading the discussion for what its worth here is a
story of two growing together. I was at a local garden center and picked up
a couple phals and when I got them home and checked them over good I noticed
that there were actually two in one pot (one flowering away the other having
a near death experience). I took them both out of the pot and repotted them
separate, now the one that was flowering (second spike now) is good the
other (5 months later) has lost all but 1 part of a leaf and is just
starting to recover. Hey TLC is free and I got a second plant for free.

DONT DO IT!!!!!!!!

"Diana Kulaga" <diand...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:bGab9.27$K82...@tornadotest1.news.pas.earthlink.net...

[femalestrom]

Hmm... I guess I have just committed the original sin. I just
put two phals together. Siblings. If they start to become
unhappy I will separate them.. but so far they seem to be
doing fine. I cant really understand why having two in one
pot would make a difference other than flowering cycle.
They are getting exactly the same conditions. Of course..
as long as they are not crowding each other and fighting
for resources. But I am often the person pushing the
envelope.

Crystal
--
Sad to say, there's more envy in the world than altruism.

-Lauren Gravitz

"David Jewell" <d_je...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message

news:EDfb9.4893$if4.1...@news20.bellglobal.com...

[kenwoodward]

Whatever works for you is right. Don't worry what the others say.
Ken Woodward
Newton, MA
http://kwoodward.net

"femalestrom" <xt...@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:L5sb9.31660$kp.3...@rwcrnsc52.ops.asp.att.net...

[Dayton Holmes]

Isn't that the idea behind compots although the plants are a lot smaller and
it's not done for show?

[femalestrom]

I think...-think- compots are beneficial because of the alleged
communication and touchy feelyness of seedlings. Barely a
sentence I know. The ones I potted together are seedlings
but pretty old ones.. the leaves look close to six inches at
this point. I only did it because I have three of the same..why
I don't know. I don't even like phals that much. But three
different pots for three of the same var was driving me nuts.
I'm needing to be creative with space... so I can buy more
species of course...

Crystal

--
Sad to say, there's more envy in the world than altruism.

-Lauren Gravitz
"Dayton Holmes" <dyh...@gwi.net> wrote in message
news:3D6EE26A...@gwi.net...

[profpam]

Other than in the form of compots, growing more than one orchid in a pot
is usually not done because of transference of disease. Seedlings,
especially mericlones, in compots are not as prone to disease and seem
to benefit perhaps not so much from being together as not being
disturbed.

. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System
http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

[femalestrom]

Okay.. that is an interesting point. So I have to ask.. what
does it matter if there are two in one pot vs. each in their
own pot sitting on a shelf with a bunch of plants? For
instance any greenhouse environment where many plants
are touching each other anyway.

Crystal

--
Sad to say, there's more envy in the world than altruism.

-Lauren Gravitz
"profpam" <pro...@pe.net> wrote in message news:3D6FCD8C...@pe.net...

[donnam...@gmail.com]

Katja,

I have been wondering about the same thing. I so not have much experience and they mentioned cross contamination of disease. But, if my plants are next together now, I don't see why they can't share the same soil in a big pot. That is what I'm going to try.

Donna

[Ray]

I wouldn't worry about two plants in a pot. As long as they are clean
and healthy when re-potting and you keep them healthy with proper care,
no problem. Quite often we will find multi plants in one pot at Costco.
However, do not use soil. These are best planted in bark.

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[HomeOwnersHub Advisor]

It's great to hear that you've had success in getting your Phalaenopsis orchids to bloom multiple times! When it comes to repotting and potentially combining them into one pot, there are a few things to consider.

First, it's important to make sure that the pot you choose has good drainage holes and is the appropriate size for the combined root systems of both plants. If the pot is too small, the roots may become cramped and hinder the growth of the plants. If it's too large, the excess soil can hold onto too much moisture, potentially leading to root rot.

Combining two orchids into one pot can be done, but it's important to consider the different growing conditions that each plant requires. Some orchids prefer more moisture, while others like to dry out between waterings. If the two plants have different preferences, it may be challenging to find a balance that works for both.

In terms of root competition, Phalaenopsis orchids are relatively forgiving and can tolerate being in close proximity to one another. However, it's still important to ensure that there is enough space for both root systems to grow and that they're not so close that they're competing for resources.

Overall, doublepotting can be a fun and aesthetically pleasing way to display multiple orchids together, but it's important to ensure that the pot and growing conditions are appropriate for both plants. If you're unsure or nervous about combining them, it's always safe to keep them in separate pots. Good luck with your repotting!

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