Catasetum and Cynoches potting media

[kindrag23]

So this summer has felt like I am back on the Florida coastline with all the rain and humidity.

We have had so much rain here the local lake went from almost completely dry to overflowing and being shut down for a month because the current and water levels were dangerously high.

So I am looking for a potting media for my plants that can handle the humidity when its humid like today and more rain is on the way, to when it is so dry outside you walk outside and feel like a mummy from ancient Egypt,

Texas weather gotta love it!

[katrina]

It's pretty much impossible to overwater ctsm when they are in active growth so the constant rain wouldn't be a problem for this group. The lack of sun during long periods would more of a concern. At least it is for me.

Most of mine are potted in straight sphag w/large orchiata in the bottom, for better drainage. We've had bouts of non-stop rain for weeks up here and the ctsm are the only orchids that haven't experienced problems.

As long as they get the required moisture, light, and heavy fert to support the rapid growth...they are not that picky about the medium.

[kindrag23]

Good to know I'm afraid of the new growths staying to wet and rotting. Our lake rose over 10+ feet in less than a month it was miserable. Awesome bc cuz it broke our drought of over 5 years awful because of the fungus and black rot my plants dealt with. Is orchichata (sp?) A standard size or of different standards of sizing?

[katrina]

The new growths are fine with a lot of water....provided they are big enough. Baby new growths would need some protection but once they are big enough where the leaves are not tight...they should be good.

As for the orchiata...it comes in diff sizes and I use one of the larger sizes for drainage. I've also used leca and lava to accomplish the same effect. I just like to have something other than sphag in the bottom of pots so the drain holes don't get blocked. I doubt it's absolutely necessary...just what I prefer.

[Subrosa]

I pot my Cats in deep pots that I layer different media in. On the bottom I use an inch of rocks, mostly for ballast so the plants don't blow over constantly. Next I
fill the pot to about the 2/3 mark with composted manure with a bit of sand mixed in. The top layer is sphagnum. I use Mosser Lee because it's cheap and gets composted after 1 season. During the time when root growth is just getting started I can control moisture so the plants don't rot. Once the roots hit the compost they can use all the water they can get which is good, because the compost holds a lot. I water almost every day whether they need it or not, and fertilize once a week with a solution of 1 tsp K-Lite per 5 gal rain water.

[AvantGardner]

I also layer, but I use a mixture of 50% sphag and 50% bark with charcoal and perilite mixed in. At one point this summer I was watering every day. I wouldn't use Orchiata if you don't repot every year. pH becomes unstable after a while, especially when exposed to as much water and fert this group needs to grow.

[kindrag23]

Thanks everyone! I repot each year and will take all this information into account when I repot them nrlext spring.