Orchid in a Decorative Pot: How to Keep the Roots Healthy

An orchid belongs in its transparent grow pot, and you place that inside a decorative pot about 2 cm wider. That way the roots still get light, excess water can drain away and your plant still gets a beautiful pot.

Why does the orchid stay in its clear grow pot?

Most shop-bought orchids, especially the phalaenopsis, grow in a clear plastic grow pot. That is no coincidence. Orchid roots do not just absorb water, they also absorb light. In the wild they cling to branches and bark, not soil. The clear plastic also shows you at a glance how the plant is doing: silvery grey roots are dry, green roots have just had water and brown, soft roots are a warning. You can read more about the plant itself at the Royal Horticultural Society.

Repot an orchid into a closed pot with dense potting soil and you lose that view, while the substrate stays wet for too long. Root rot is then the most common outcome. So leave the grow pot as it is and pick a decorative pot to go around it.

What size decorative pot suits an orchid?

The usual grow pot for an orchid has a diameter of 12 cm. A decorative pot of 13 to 15 cm fits around it nicely. If the pot is much too large, the grow pot slides about. If it is too tight, you will struggle to lift the grow pot out for watering.

So measure the top rim of your grow pot first and add 1 to 3 cm. If you have a bigger orchid in a 14 or 15 cm grow pot, choose a decorative pot of 16 to 18 cm. How to measure a diameter reliably is explained in our guide to choosing the right flower pot size.

• Grow pot diameter 12 cm: decorative pot of 13 to 15 cm.
• Grow pot diameter 14 cm: decorative pot of 15 to 17 cm.
• Height: the decorative pot can enclose the grow pot up to roughly its top rim, so the upper roots still get light.

How do you water without wet feet?

A decorative pot usually has no drainage hole, and that is exactly where things go wrong. If the grow pot stands in a pool of water, the lower roots soak up too much and rot. It works better to lift the grow pot out once a week and let it stand in lukewarm water for 10 to 15 minutes. Then let it drain properly, for instance in the sink, and only then put it back.

Not sure whether the plant needs water yet? Look at the roots. Silvery grey means water, green means wait. You use the same logic for any pot without a hole. For the details, read our article on a decorative pot without a hole and an inner pot, and the comparison of a flower pot with or without a hole.

Can you put an orchid in a mosaic pot?

Absolutely, as long as the grow pot stays inside. A decorative pot with hand-set mosaic is a lovely frame for a plant with such a graceful flower spike. The mosaic is laid with hand-cut glass tesserae, no two pieces are identical and a slight colour variation is part of the handwork.

Keep in mind that the mosaic sits on the outside. The water in the grow pot does not touch the mosaic layer as long as you let it drain well after watering. One small caution: do not put the pot on a cold windowsill in frost, because the roots react to temperature swings.

Which colour of decorative pot looks good with an orchid?

Orchid flowers are often white, pink or purple, and the leaves are deep green. A calm decorative pot in blue, turquoise or sea green lets the flower stand out. Bright colours next to a vivid flower can compete. A neutral shade suits a quiet interior, while a deep tone gives a rich backdrop. We wrote more about combining shades in choosing mosaic colours.

When do you repot an orchid?

You rarely need to repot an orchid, roughly once every two years. Do it when the substrate breaks down or the roots grow out of the pot. Use special orchid bark, never ordinary potting soil. The steps for repotting other houseplants are in our article on repotting a houseplant, but for orchids the rule is: the grow pot only goes up one size, and the decorative pot follows.