Full sized catt. questions....

[james mickelso]

Put it outside when all danger of frost is past. These like as much light as they can get short of full sun. the hotter weather will allow you to water it, and therefore, fertilize it more. This will fatten up the new growth which should be swelling at the base of the newest pbulb right now. And the pbulb should be starting to grow roots. Use a balanced fertilizer at half strength. 20-20-20 is good. Once the flower has faded I would repot thios sucker. My reasoning is that the position of the plant in it's pot will only give you one more season before starting to grow over the edge of the pot. The root mass will become too unwieldy and you'll end up damaging the roots trying to get it out of the pot. Take it out of the pot and reposition it with the oldest pbulb against the edge of the pot. Stake it to keep it stable and keep it moist. This is a beautiful plant and can become a specimen if you take care of it properly. The course media here will allow you to water it frequently. Say once a week until the temps climb over 70 and then more often as the temps climb. High light levels except not full sun. It will bloom in Feb next year. If you take good care of it you can get multiple growth leads from the next growths. You can grow it inside with that large window and it will bloom well as long as you give it lots of light this summer. Light length is more important to it than temps for blooming. 10 degree diff between day and night is fine. The culture is the same for Pots as it is for catts.

[Tim P.]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

Put it outside when all danger of frost is past. These like as much light as they can get short of full sun. the hotter weather will allow you to water it, and therefore, fertilize it more. This will fatten up the new growth which should be swelling at the base of the newest pbulb right now. And the pbulb should be starting to grow roots. Use a balanced fertilizer at half strength. 20-20-20 is good. Once the flower has faded I would repot thios sucker. My reasoning is that the position of the plant in it's pot will only give you one more season before starting to grow over the edge of the pot. The root mass will become too unwieldy and you'll end up damaging the roots trying to get it out of the pot. Take it out of the pot and reposition it with the oldest pbulb against the edge of the pot. Stake it to keep it stable and keep it moist. This is a beautiful plant and can become a specimen if you take care of it properly. The course media here will allow you to water it frequently. Say once a week until the temps climb over 70 and then more often as the temps climb. High light levels except not full sun. It will bloom in Feb next year. If you take good care of it you can get multiple growth leads from the next growths. You can grow it inside with that large window and it will bloom well as long as you give it lots of light this summer. Light length is more important to it than temps for blooming. 10 degree diff between day and night is fine. The culture is the same for Pots as it is for catts.

Thanks everyone for the great info!!! Ha ha. Another question kindof came in my mind. Is there a way to make it grow more than one pbulb? I noticed you talked about multiple growth leads and was curious. Sorry... I'm full of questions, and I really want to get this plant to work out

[james mickelso]

Good culture is the most efficient method to produce multiple leads on an orchid. Some are more predisposed to doing so but I have used a method that works for the most part mostly on back bulbs. On my cattleyas that are stubborn I go back to the older back bulbs and at the mid point between the two bulbs I make a cut halfway through the rizome with a sharp blade or shears. I dab this wound with powdered cinnamon to seal it against any bad guys. This simulates the plant being injured and most times gets those back bulbs to push a latent bud into growing. It's like making divisions in the pot without repotting. I have better luck with the half incisions than actually cutting the rizome completely. As for multiple leads on the front end, it hasn't worked satisfactorally when I've done it at that position. Good culture is the best way to create multiple leads on the front end. Also so older orchids and those with more numerous pbulbs tend to have the stored energy to push more growth per new lead than those with few pbulbs. I can't stress good culture enough though. That is the surest way to more leads. But give that oldest pbulb a try. Can't hurt. Just cut halfway through the rizome, seal it, and wait.