Correct pot size for Brassocattleya Florida Stars "Spring Zing" division

[BrassavolaStars]

Hello All,

I recently received this front end division of a Bc. Florida stars clone called "Spring Zing".

What pot size and type should I use to pot it?

I have a 6-inch wood basket (which would need to be sterilized and I do not know what the sterilization procedure is for wood) and plastic pots in almost every size.

I will be using the Repot me Bark, Charcoal, Leca mix.

It was growing attached to the mother plant in a wood basket with Leca originally.

All of the roots are alive with green or reddish-green tips.

[Roberta]

If you have a 4 inch pot (the ones with the mesh bottom) size would be OK and they have great drainage. The ones with just holes in the bottom and maybe one on each side bottom I don't like - they stay 'way to wet. Otherwise, I'd lean toward a 3 inch diameter round pot. Pot it with the back of the plant against the pot and the new growth pointing toward the center to give you maximum growing room before it needs to be repotted. Or if you have a 4 inch hexagonal plastic basket (net pot) or wood basket (again, 4 inch is plenty) those would be good too. But don't go any bigger than those. Whatever you use, good drainage is the one critical factor. These do like to dry out between waterings.

[BrassavolaStars]

I just found a 5-inch at the top 4-inch at the bottom tapered round plastic basket in the closet. I think that will probably be my best fit considering the other alternatives that I have on hand right now. Hopefully, that is not too big.

[neophyte]

i'm still in the dark regarding how to use LECA properly in non-SH conditions... i'm (likely wrongly) paranoid that the LECA would suck the water out of the roots if not constantly soaked in water. does anyone know if this is true? just wondering...

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by neophyte

i'm still in the dark regarding how to use LECA properly in non-SH conditions... i'm (likely wrongly) paranoid that the LECA would suck the water out of the roots if not constantly soaked in water. does anyone know if this is true? just wondering...

Mixed in with bark, I would think that LECA would behave no differently than perlite or pumice - an inorganic material that tends to maintain air spaces in the bark. Once damp, the pores would fill with "humid air" just as the other porous inorganic materials would. And humid air is exactly what one wants in the root zone. Everything starts out wet, then as the water evaporates air replaces the water. When everything dries out, time to water again.

---------- Post added at 09:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:59 PM ----------

Originally Posted by BrassavolaStars

I just found a 5-inch at the top 4-inch at the bottom tapered round plastic basket in the closet. I think that will probably be my best fit considering the other alternatives that I have on hand right now. Hopefully, that is not too big.

Sounds good. It's somewhat large for the plant, but the basket will provide air flow that will permit rapid drying. The problem with using a solid pot that's too big is that the center stays wet. The basket won't have that problem. If it does seem too big for the plant, you could invert a small pot in the middle to take up space and create an air pocket.

[Ray]

BVStars - do you grow in baskets now?