Ric. Achung Ruby

[Raqsharqi]

I rescued a Ric. Achung Ruby from Lowe's several months ago. It had already bloomed, and was packed in a small pot with wet, shredded newspaper on top, and then wrapped in plastic wrap. I repotted it in a clay pot, using a cattleya mix from Repotme. It is in one of the brightest corners of my greenhouse (easily 30,000 lux), and temps now range from about 60 to 85. It is just sitting there. It isn't dying, but I don't see any growth at all. One of the leaves on a rather new pseudobulb is starting to look a little wrinkled, but the mix doesn't seem dry, so I'm a little afraid to water it. I'm wondering if repotting it again in a smaller, clear plastic pot with slots on the sides would be a good idea. From what I've read, Catts don't like being repotted unless it is spring and they are in a growth spurt, but I don't want to lose this plant.
Suggestions?

[silken]

How were the roots when you re-potted it? Are you letting the media dry out between waterings? What size pot is it in? A photo would also help.

[Vanda lover]

They do really well in lava rock.

[Raqsharqi]

I can feel moisture when I stick my finger in the pot, but it has been at least a week since I watered it. When that happens with Phals, I suspect the roots aren't doing their job, so I pulled it out of the pot. Sure enough, the roots don't get green when I spray them, and most of them have that stringy thing going on that Phals do when the roots aren't good. If I cut the roots, I don't see green.
There is some growth close up to where the base of the plant is. I have the roots soaking in a light seaweed and rainwater mix now, and think I'll repot in a smaller, clear plastic pot.
I don't have lava rock....just the cattleya mix. Does that sound like a plan?
I had to go to a foreign website to find out what the Ric. meant!

[silken]

It's a Cattleya hybrid and needs to dry out between watering. I myself prefer clear pots with good drainage. It should be in a small pot that fits the roots and has room for a new growth or two. Over potting will cause root rot. If your Cattleya mix is fairly chunky and open, then it should be OK. I use just medium bark, but everyone's conditions are different. Soak the mix first as it will dry out faster when new. Once potted let it dry completely before watering again. You could use a bamboo kebab skewer inserted down into the pot as a gauge. Pull it out and check. If it is damp, hold off watering. Place it back in the same place. When you water, add some of the seaweed as it should help stimulate some root growth.

[Raqsharqi]

I think I may be getting a plastic basket today that might be big enough. Would that be better than a plastic pot? The new mix I ordered has some of those round Leca pellets. Should I wait until delivery and pick out some of those to give the mix more air?

[silken]

What else is in it? If it is called Cattleya mix and from Repotme.com it should be OK as is. Leica is fine. For me, too much moss or anything fine would be a problem. In nature they grow on trees with bare roots exposed to rain and breezes that dry them quickly. The roots also photo synthesize and I feel they like the clear pots as some of their roots get some light.

Many grow in baskets and that's fine. For me, I would need to be watering too often. We don't have high humidity here on the prairies most of the time and I prefer air cone pots or ones with side and bottom holes.

[Raqsharqi]

Should I treat the roots like I would Phals and cut off anything that doesn't look green? I could very well be left with just the few bits that I see peeking out from among the brownish/beige roots.

[silken]

If they are soft and mushy, you can cut them with a sterilized tool. If they are brown but firm, I would leave them. Sometimes they can get discoloured by the bark or whatever media they have been in. I have also seen new roots branch out from old, healthy roots once I used seaweed. But typically, most new root growth is going to come from a new pseudobulb. You need to keep the plant hydrated enough until a new growth with roots will support the old bulbs. This doesn't mean to keep the media extra wet. I think if it is allowed to dry, the plant puts out roots seeking moisture. Too wet or damp always equals root rot. The most common cause of orchid death.

[Vanda lover]

Silken has good advice. I agree that a basket would be fine. I like those clear pots because it is easy to see if they are damp and how the roots look.