Cattleya Mini Help

[Jenna09]

Hi Everyone

While out at my local greenhouse buying some trees for our property I came across this orchid labelled a Cattleya Mini.

It was dumped over and 50% off. There were some others there that had some dark red/maroon coloured half dead blooms on them.

It has a dead spike on it and some cracked/damaged bulbs (I am new at this and assuming they are the bulbs?). .

The roots I can see through the container look ok and I am planning on repotting it.

Any advice on anything else I should do for this orchid so it can thrive will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jenna

[Dollythehun]

Can you shoot a straight down picture showing us the top of the rootball? That will show new growth.
The top doesn't look bad. The best time to repot is when new roots are just starting. The second best is when you flat out have to.

[Jenna09]

@Dollythehun

These pics good?

[Dollythehun]

If it we're mine, I would get some medium sized fir bark and repot. If you tend to overwater, use a clay pot. You might want to tent it with a produce bag draped loosely over the top if your humidity is low. Remove that when you see new root tips. Normally I'd say wait but that mix looks horrendous. Roberta will probably weigh in and correct me if I'm wrong. But if it were mine, thus is what I'd do.

[Jenna09]

I’ve decided to try to repot this orchid and it’s nothing like I expected in the pot.

Full of green moss/algae type material and bound so tight it feels almost waxed or glued together.

I’ve got it soaking now to try to loosen it up.

Fingers crossed it goes well!

Jenna

[rbarata]

Most cattleyas (there are exceptions) and moss doesn't combine. They need to dry out fast and moss prevents it (although it may be helpful in extremely low humidity environments).

[Jenna09]

This moss substrate is just awful!

I’ve got some bark mix for it I will be transferring it into. I will post pics once I’m done

Jenna

[Dollythehun]

The sprayer in your sink can also help dislodge the moss. However, don't stress if some remains, just pot it up. Also don't pick at it too much, you'll break roots.

[Optimist]

Cattleyas like strong sun, slightly shaded and would prefer to be outside during the warm part of the year, like in a covered porch. Although they are tropical plants, they are "outside" plants. If you don't live in tropical conditions during the winter, they will need to come indoors, and probably get some plant-grow light plus window light. Without adequate sun (and fast draining medium) they will not bloom.

[Roberta]

Dollythehun is spot on... and you are correct, it will benefit from repotting. But just rinse off the root ball under the faucet. Don't try to untangle it. New roots will spread out just fine and the moss is not a problem, or won't be once you get it into bark and start watering it correctly (letting it dry out between waterings). It was 'way too wet. Once it's repotted, let it do what it wants... if new growth hasn't started, it will soon. And by not messing with the roots, you won't set it back. When you pot, position it so that the oldest part (the smallest pseudobulbs) are against one side, so that it has the maximum amount of room to grow - and select pot for no more than a couple of years' growth. Once it has done some growing, then next repot (2 or 3 years hence) will probably give you a chance to clean it up better, since the oldest part will probably die back. But for now, preserve what it has and let it figure out how it wants to grow.