Quote:
Originally Posted by smweaver
So how are the Hardyana seedlings doing, Steve? Would you mind posting an updated photo or two? I'm very seriously thinking about ordering a couple of flasks to experiment with (not of Cattleya Hardyana, but a couple of cattleya species instead). I just need to see some visual signs of someone else's success to give me a bit of confidence. :-)
And you're using just plain cypress mulch, yes? That's not proven to either be too acidic or decompose too readily?
|
Hi Steve,
The seedlings are doing really well! I can't say they've done anything remarkable since November, which is why I haven't done an update video. Check out the photo below. The window sill they're in gets pretty chilly, so I suspect that's the reason why they've slowed down a bit. I'll kick these guys outside in early April and drill holes in the bottom of the container and water them regularly, alongside their older Cattleya brethren.
The media I used is a cypress mix, which I've since found is not great for Cattleyas because it breaks down quickly. My friends in the South (the true South, not Austin which is closer to the Southwest) use pure cypress mulch with great success. It's cheap and breaks down slowly, if you can find it! I'll use orchiata for the Hardyana seedlings when they're large enough for a repot. I'll continue using the cypress mulch mix for my Catasetums, which love to sit in rotting wood.
Cattleya Hardyana seedlings by
Stephen Van Kampen-Lewis, on Flickr
Threaded Mode
