BC Sunny Delight, Stlma Florida Sunset - Orchid Board

decolmtd · #1 01-17-2010, 02:05 PM

These arrived in baskets, can anyone tell me about light and water requirments for these orchids?

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #2 01-17-2010, 10:01 PM

Bright indirect.

There's a large Brassavola influence in both orchids.

decolmtd · #3 01-18-2010, 12:16 PM

Thankyou that is a big help, a place to start. How about watering requirments being they are in baskets. Should I water everyday since they are potted in this manner?

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #4 01-18-2010, 01:25 PM

Never grown Catts in a basket.

If it were me, I'd pay attention to how long the roots are staying wet and how plump the pseudobulbs are.

There's also the thing where they don't have to be watered as much during the cooler months the larger the pseudobulbs are.

BikerDoc5968 · #5 01-18-2010, 03:02 PM

I only have one catt in a basket hanging in the GH and I find I have to SOAK it everyday just to keep the root tips green and the leaves from shriveling. I have new growth but it does take some doing... the other thing is my humidity isn't as high as I'd like which would really help! So if you live say in southern Florida where the humidity might be higher your care would be somewhat different than mine.

decolmtd · #6 01-18-2010, 03:55 PM

Yes I live in Tampa, bought the orchids from a grower in Miami. Both have tree fern under them in the basket. I have read that Brassavola need a winter rest, no water for 1-6 months or at least very little. So I am going to try that first, no water for at least a month.

orchidsamore · #7 01-19-2010, 07:30 AM

Cattleya are very happy in baskets.

It is one of the specialties at my nursery. Some get watered every day. During the winter I heat with water so they got 12 hours a night all last week. The other extreme is they may go 1-2 months without water before showing any stress if they were blocked from the automatize sprinklers without my seeing it.

Generally 1-2 times a weeks is good.

Decolmnt - you misunderstood the grower. Do not stop watering Bassovola. Winter is their growing and flowering season. There is no orchid that would like to go 6 months without water. Even at one month they stop growing and can be set back months on its normal growing pattern.