Question
I have an orchid shoot with about seven leaves on it. Roots are green and healthy.  when potting this shoot do I bury the roots?  some of them are about 10 inches long and do not bend easily.
thanks

Answer
Muriel, I'm assuming you are referring to a phalaenopsis orchid.  Roots become less brittle if they are soaked well before repotting.  If the roots are horizontal and would have to be bent considerably before repotting,try to use a deeper and/or wider pot to minimize the bending.  Roots in the potting mix tend to stay moister and absorb nutrients in the potting mix.  While in nature, these are aerial roots and attach themselves to tree limbs and other objects where rain water and high humidity keep them moist and provide a small amount of nourishment.  So, pot culture is an unnatural environment and when roots try to grow outside of the pot they may not grow long because the further from the pot, generally, the lower the humidity. If you are growing your plant in high humidity, however, the roots may do as well outside of the pot as in it.