Ok above, bad below, my Catts!

[Jeffery]

I look at these plants and I am a bit concerned, guess its just from what I have known most my life about the plants I have grown before and being new to Catts, but on my replanting and trying to avoid burying the rhizomes, I can clearly see roots also out of the medium and the medium is so large, you really can't be precise on what you want buried and what you don't want buried. SNIF!!

[Jeffery]

Originally Posted by Jeffery

Thanks everyone for your help, the smallest pots I could get clear was 2 inches, I got a large grade fir bark that should allow good air flow to dry out faster and I placed a small fan in the area, I got a rooting hormone with fungicide, I don't think I covered any of the rhizomes, but if I did, it will only take a little tug and pull to get them out, I got the plants supported by old spike clips that I saved.

Also, I made 3 holes in each pot right at center of the pots so it has a better chance of drying out in the center of the medium. hhhmmm!! good luck to those Catts.

[MS PLANTER]

Originally Posted by Jeffery

Thats quite all right Wendy, glad some one could help her, now that makes 2 of us that once didn't know what s/h meant, but now know, my first thoughts was shipping and handling

Wendy, thanks for the response concerning s/h but, Jeffery, I enjoyed your decipherment.

It is interesting to read as the problem-solving continues on this thread and, as I stated before, I am new here so please accept my apologies on not knowing the lingo (s/h). Jeffery, I am learning right along with you as you receive advice. I have 13 new orchids and little knowledge on how to care for them. The watering lesson, (don't over water) has probably just saved 13 orchids lives.

Again, thank you,
Dianna

[Eyebabe]

Originally Posted by Jeffery

I look at these plants and I am a bit concerned, guess its just from what I have known most my life about the plants I have grown before and being new to Catts, but on my replanting and trying to avoid burying the rhizomes, I can clearly see roots also out of the medium and the medium is so large, you really can't be precise on what you want buried and what you don't want buried. SNIF!!

For many situations, you do the best to keep the rhysomes unburied. As long as the leading 2 are fully out you should be in pretty good shape.
My best book on cattleyas specifically was Chadwick's book The Classic Cattleyas.
Not only was it about as entertaining as this type of book can be, it also had wonderful information regarding the culture of many of our cattleya species.
After reading it, you will feel like catts are your best friends

[bdelfiero]

I would like to share my experience in Cattleya seedlings. I bought three Catts more than a month and made some experimentation. One I put in s/h, the other in 4.5 inch clay pot using LECA, and the last in 4.5 plastic pot with holes in the bottom using LECA also. The one in clay pot responded very quickly and within 3 weeks I see new root growths. While the remaining two seems to like their dormancy. I grow My catts outside and I water them everyday since the LECa dries quickly plus direct morning sun and plently of air the whole day. And they seems to like it. I also use superthrive and seaweed extract twice a week.

[Tropicgirl]

Originally Posted by MS PLANTER

Wendy, thanks for the response concerning s/h but, Jeffery, I enjoyed your decipherment.

It is interesting to read as the problem-solving continues on this thread and, as I stated before, I am new here so please accept my apologies on not knowing the lingo (s/h). Jeffery, I am learning right along with you as you receive advice. I have 13 new orchids and little knowledge on how to care for them. The watering lesson, (don't over water) has probably just saved 13 orchids lives.

Again, thank you,
Dianna

Check out Ray's site, he explains s/h very well. It's what made me want to try it and so far I'm loving it! Here's his link:

Orchid Growing Supplies Semi-hydroponics Hydroponics Orchid Books PrimeAgra

[MS PLANTER]

Angela,

I checked it out but will have to spend more time going through the information but thanks so very much.... an experiment lies on the horizon for my orchids.

Very interesting, by the way.
Dianna

[orchid-flowers]

To emphasize the importance of air movement around orchids roots, I made these pictures of my orchid Encyclia garciana (I am not quite sure, but nowadays it is called Anacheilium garcianum – orchid species can have more then one name) that I mounted less then 4 weeks ago. I am using this orchid, because of the culture similarity with Cattleya orchids. It’s basically the same.

This orchid is subjected to high light levels, with only 30 – 40 % shading. It gets watered every day, but it is bone dry within 4 – 5 hours. So, for the large part of the day it goes without water, without roots being wet. Daily temperatures are above 80 F.

It would make you think that this orchid is barely alive. However if you check the second picture you can see that the new shoot is already making one larger new root on the right side and one small bump, that is the forming of the second root. You can also see that the tip of the root is fresh and green, which shows an active growing of the root.
The third picture is showing that not only one new shoot is growing, but there is one more shoot in the back.

So it is clear that the orchid is doing well and the major reason is that the roots are doing well, they are getting enough air and they stay wet just long enough to pick enough moisture for living and growing.

[Jeffery]

Originally Posted by orchid-flowers

To emphasize the importance of air movement around orchids roots, I made these pictures of my orchid Encyclia garciana (I am not quite sure, but nowadays it is called Anacheilium garcianum – orchid species can have more then one name) that I mounted less then 4 weeks ago. I am using this orchid, because of the culture similarity with Cattleya orchids. It’s basically the same.

This orchid is subjected to high light levels, with only 30 – 40 % shading. It gets watered every day, but it is bone dry within 4 – 5 hours. So, for the large part of the day it goes without water, without roots being wet. Daily temperatures are above 80 F.

It would make you think that this orchid is barely alive. However if you check the second picture you can see that the new shoot is already making one larger new root on the right side and one small bump, that is the forming of the second root. You can also see that the tip of the root is fresh and green, which shows an active growing of the root.
The third picture is showing that not only one new shoot is growing, but there is one more shoot in the back.

So it is clear that the orchid is doing well and the major reason is that the roots are doing well, they are getting enough air and they stay wet just long enough to pick enough moisture for living and growing.

Thats a neat set up you got there, pretty cool, today temps got about 94 and dry, my newly repotted Catts are are quite dry and I feel I need to water the poor things, I am really trying to restrain myself, I already killed 2 from overwatering.

[Jeffery]

Originally Posted by MS PLANTER

Wendy, thanks for the response concerning s/h but, Jeffery, I enjoyed your decipherment.

It is interesting to read as the problem-solving continues on this thread and, as I stated before, I am new here so please accept my apologies on not knowing the lingo (s/h). Jeffery, I am learning right along with you as you receive advice. I have 13 new orchids and little knowledge on how to care for them. The watering lesson, (don't over water) has probably just saved 13 orchids lives.

Again, thank you,
Dianna

Hi Dianna, I sure am learning, but its to bad these lovely plants have to end up having a short life without flowers, because of my lack of knowledge, but I am working on being a better Orchid grower