Question
Hello Mr. King.  I want to thank you again for your help concerning my "mutant" phal.  

I would like to repot four of my orchids who were purchased in moss.  They seem packed pretty tight and and stay damp too long.  I don't want the roots to rot.  If I want to repot in a medium made of bark, how do I get the moss out from around the roots without damaging them?  Can I leave some of it behind?  But they would still have decomposing moss around them - probably not a good thing.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

Christina

Answer
Christina, it is a good idea to thoroughly rinse off the roots prior to repotting.  That is best to assess the condition of the roots and should remove all of the moss.  If you repot in a bark type of pottig mix, be sure to soak it well prior to use as fir bark is dry and draws water out of the roots.  By soaking the new potting mix, the water repellancy of the fir bark is reduced.