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Not Re-potting...

I can't count the number of times I've been asked, "Why did my so-and-so die?" "Why won't my orchid bloom again?" Because most people know enough to splash a little water on when a plant looks about to swoon, my response is swift and immediate: "When's the last time you re-potted?"

Proper care of any plant in a pot should not have to be reduced to a science, BUT regular re-potting is a must to keep your plant alive.

Think about it. Most plants have well-developed root systems that range far and wide (and/or deep) for the resources needed to survive. Putting that plant in a pot is like putting a person in a jail cell. Now it is completely dependent on YOU for all its needs.

Sure you potted it with lovely potting soil, or an appropriate medium for an orchid, but any medium with an organic component (bark, peat, compost, etc.) will break down as that component decays. That means a whole host of problems for your plant's roots as the pot stays too wet and life sustaining air is squeezed out of the mix.

Best way to kill a plant--you've just suffocated or rotted your little darling. The problem: not repotting. The solution: I think you already know...


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