Is Laelia purpurata a roots or shoots first?

[MN Tomato]

My seedlings (when do you stop calling them seedlings?) are getting tippy in their pots, and starting new shoots but I don’t see roots starting yet. I don’t remember how it went last spring and it’s not in the big purpurata article or the roots/bloom-first chart.

We have very dry winters here with the central heating and I’m thinking of just doing the small pot nested in the larger pot thing since they are in clay pots. Maybe just knock the bottom of the little pot out so the roots don’t really have any disturbance anyway.

[estación seca]

You brought up several concepts.

Cattleya alliance seedlings don't do well with root disturbance. It's almost always best to drop them into the new pot and backfill, unless you can get the old root ball out intact. What medium are they in? You might be able to get them out of the old pot if you soak it in water for an hour.

Cattleya / Laelia purpurata makes roots somewhat after the new shoot forms, but before it's mature. It won't be long.

Cattleya alliance seedlings should stay moist. They are set back if they get dry even once. In low humidity I wouldn't use a clay pot. They dry out much faster than other pots, especially when small.