Repot an Orchid?

I need to repot one of my Orchids.Can you use a solid brass pot? Yes, it has lots of drainage,but I can't find anything on repotting in a metal container.What about copper?Think the tarnishing will hurt it? Thanks,and my Orchid thanks you too.

Repot an Orchid?
Do not use metal pots. Brass contains copper, and copper can (and will) burn roots. If you use the brass pot as an outer, ornamental, container, make sure it has a drain hole. The #1 killer of orchids by amateurs is Too Much Water.





First:


1) Get some media that is like the media that the plant is already potted in. Go to a nursery, they should have what you need. You can also google the Genus/species of orchid you have to see is it was originally potted correctly. Also, make sure you same the little nametag, so in 3 years you will know what plant you have.





2) Pre-water the new media. Get it wet, let it drain for a few minutes.





3) Choose the proper pot, most times it should be at least one size larger than the previous pot. I generally fill the lower 1/4 of the pot with styrofoam peanuts, and place a thin layer of media above this. Orchid roots need to breath, and this prevents the bottom of the pot from compacting.





Second:





1) De--pot the plant, discard the old media (I depot over a plastic dishpan to prevent a mess). Hold orchid by its base, then invert pot.





2) Attend to the roots!


Look closely at the roots and the root crown (where all roots originate from). Living healthy roots are fat and greenish or whitish. Dead roots are stringy (or alternating fat and stringy) and an earthy brown colour. CUT off all dead roots as far up into the crown as you can. (These are dead and will rot. The rotting can make its way into the crown, then the whole plant dies). You can also remove dead back-bulbs, stems etc. just make sure they are dead (brownish, soft.)





3) Leave the healthy roots alone. DO NOT prune them!








Re-pot.


1) Orchid type sphagnum moss. Wrap the roots (LOOSELY) in several layers of wetted sphagnum moss. Make the final ball slightly larger than the pot, and squeeze it into the pot.





2) Loose media (fir bark, small lave rock, corks, ceramic pellets, soil). One can cove the styrofoam peanuts with a layer of burlap or sphagnum moss to keep media out from among the styrofoam.





Put a layer of media into pot, enough so that the root crown of the orchid would be 1/2 inch or so below the pot rim. Hold orchid in that position and spoon (I use tea and table spoons) media into the pot. Work media among the roots by shaking the pot (hold onto the orchid) or press it firmly into place using a chopstick. Continue until all roots below the crown are covered.





Following potting, I water thoroughly with a weak solution of Superthrive.





Good Luck
Reply:Put in plastic or clay pot first then into the metal container, I'd be worried about the metals leaching, copper and zinc are fairly active heavy metals.