I grow mostly Cattleya alliance plants and I would strongly recommend NOT using plastic pots for Cattleyas, especially because you have historically over-watered.

Instead, use unglazed terracotta pots that are between the two pot sizes you show. The unglazed terracotta will wick away at least some excess moisture.

With all plants in the Cattleya alliance, your watering plan should be to water then allow the coarse medium to dry out before watering again.

I agree with the terra cotta pot advice. Also going small with pot size is something I'd recommend myself. With a smaller pot, terra cotta and larger bark, you should be able to actually water as much as you probably had before.

a friend attended a talk (one I sadly missed) of a catt grower and he said the odd thing is many catts are often not watered enough. (I know of a respected catt grower that grows many in sphagnum moss if you can believe that) The trick is really letting them dry out completely between watering. So you can water more often and they get more water as long as they dry out completely between waterings.

Terra cotta it is! You guys are very helpful. I'm coming up with a lot of questions, and this community has been super beneficial.

I do think that the way catts send out roots, they need a bit of space. With coarse bark you simply cannot overpot or overwater, and if you are new to them, that is an important consideration.

Moss is a great medium, but IMO only under very narrow conditions, and those to me are very shallow containers like baskets which allow the moss to dry very quickly from all sides, top and bottom..
The medium has to work for summer and winter, and the huge problem is that a comparatively deep pot that can at best (terracotta ) dry slowly is a possible candidate for root rot.

bil, it seems like it's a tough balance between letting the roots have sufficient room vs assuring that there isn't root rot (which could happen with a more spacious terra cotta pot).

I don't trust myself with moss. I do think that the medium I have is course - most pieces are between 1-1.5 inches. Here's a link to the bark I already purchased: Orchid bark - Album on Imgur

This is the most suitable terra cotta pot (that has drainage) I've found so far. https://shop.greenbarnorchid.com/pro...productId=1439

That is a little smaller than I was thinking. I was thinking 4". Here's the thing, Designer, we can all suggest forever...But, in the end, you will have to make mistakes in order to learn. So, rinse and soak and pot and we'll all be here to hold your hand for better or worse. In a year, you'll be giving others advice.😎

Okay, thank you! I apologize for being annoying.

You are NOT annoying...You are concerned, just like we ALL started out as.

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And let us know how it goes!

I will, dolly. Thanks!

If you need support, pm me. It's in the left hand menu.😀