monn millenium culture advice/help

[orchidsarefun]

I agree that you also need to downsize the pot. Compare the pot you have it in now and the pot it came in; mine is doing very well in that same small-size black pot.
Over the Summer I also experimented with different size pots - I had one in a larger unglazed ceramic pot and another in a small plastic pot. The latter plant is ar least 3x times the size of the former ! It seems they prefer less space.

[kindrag23]

[QUOTE=orchidsarefun;623239]I agree that you also need to downsize the pot. Compare the pot you have it in now and the pot it came in; mine is doing very well in that same small-size black pot.
Over the Summer I also experimented with different size pots - I had one in a larger unglazed ceramic pot and another in a small plastic pot. The latter plant is ar least 3x times the size of the former ! It seems they prefer less space.

Yes they do. Mine did got mad because I put it in a pot slightly to large.

[katrina]

I respectfully disagree w/the pot size comment. When in active growth, these are not orchids that need that dry out between waterings AND they produce some seriously massive root systems. I'm not saying to put them in a giant pot but if the light, watering, and fert parameters are correct then a slightly bigger pot than that which is recommended for, say a catt, is perfectly fine.



I don't have too many pics that show the pots but here are a couple...from this year and last. This first pic was the 3rd spike this plant put out this Summer. The 2nd pic is my Wine Delight (reliable bloomer) from last Fall.



By most orchid standards those would be over-potted...but for Ctsm they are perfectly fine.

BTW - when the Wine Delight was repotted last (in May) moved it to a 12" tall pot and this Fall is has 3 spikes...maybe a 4th but I'm not 100% on that just yet.

[kindrag23]

@Katrina those are gprgeous fantastic growing!!

[isurus79]

Katrina,
It looks like your pots have slits up the sides and therefore have better ventilation around the roots than the pot shown in the first post of this thread. And lets not forget that you are an advanced grower! I think a smaller pot for this plant might be a good idea for hypostatic who might not be as familiar with this group of orchids.

[katrina]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Katrina,
It looks like your pots have slits up the sides and therefore have better ventilation around the roots than the pot shown in the first post of this thread.

Actually, the Wine Delight is in a standard plastic pot in that clay pot...only bottom drainage. And, it was potted in only sphag.

I have been growing this group of orchids for a couple/few years, true, but the issues w/the OP's plant is not due to a pot being too large. Based on the description, it's clearly been underwatered and it's not received sufficient light. I don't mean to be contentious...just trying to keep it simple for the OP and address the immediate issue = not enough water nor light.

Kindrag -- thank you.

[orchidsarefun]

see photo - the cat in the small pot is at least 3x times the size of the cats in the larger pot. The one in the larger pot did however develop 2 growths, but both are substantially smaller than the mother.......
Cultural conditions are exactly the same, same fertiliser regime and same watering, same temps and same mix. I had split 2 dormant bulbs into 2 and potted them up separately. Ironically too, the bulb in the smaller pot was also potted up about 3 weeks after the first as the roots took a while to grow enough to plant.
So - I don't know what other conclusion can be drawn other than pot size had something to do with it ?
I had also created a thread on this apparent anomaly a while back.

[katrina]

My guess would be that because the one plant produced 2 growths each would naturally be a little smaller than the one growth plant. Remember...these get the energy to grow the new growths from the old growths. So, 2 growths likely required a greater expenditure of energy thereby resulting in shorter new growths. That would be my guess long before I attributed it to the pot size.

Another option might be how the division was done. Meaning, maybe the bigger one came from the newest section...maybe it had more energy than the older section because that older section had already been depleted to some extent from earlier growths. Or, maybe just the opposite. It's really sort of a guessing game but I would go to something along those lines before I'd chalk it up to pot size.

In all fairness, we may never know why your one plant ended up taller than the other. I'm not saying it's impossible that it's the smaller pot size...it just wouldn't be my first "go-to" as far as answers. Both of your plants are absolutely healthy and gorgeous so it's nothing even close to a problem. I'll be curious to see if one gives you more spikes per growth than the other.

Regardless, the issue w/the OPs plants is lack of water and lack of light. Technically, that bigger pot could've helped it not be weaker by being bigger and holding more moisture for longer. I'm just saying.

Like I said, I'm not trying to be argumentative but in all reality a slightly bigger than conventional pot is not going to cause any real issues. Certainly, not the issues we see in the OP's plant.

[isurus79]

Great discussion!

[kindrag23]

Agreed!