Cattleyas - How Dry is Dry?

[Roberta]

While I favor the cooler-growing Catts because there isn't room for big "anythings" in my little greenhouse, my observation has been for those that were potted, they grew much better once they escaped from the pot. my conclusion, they really didn't want to be in a pot.. .roots like to run wild. And of course, if the roots are in the air, they are going to substantially dry out. I have gone, more and more, to baskets - wood or plastic - think of them as three dimensional mounts. The small amount of medium in the baskets holds some moisture, probably raising the "local" humidity.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Roberta

my observation has been for those that were potted, they grew much better once they escaped from the pot. my conclusion, they really didn't want to be in a pot.. .roots like to run wild. And of course, if the roots are in the air, they are going to substantially dry out.

An interesting observation, Roberta.

After reading that, my first thought was about growth pattern - some plants like to climb, some plants prefer to spread horizontally - it then I got to thinking about the stored nutrient and fuel “reserves” aspect, rather than just the growths being outside of the pot.

The larger the “colony” of individual growths, the greater the collecting, creation, and storage capacity for those reserves. The greater the stored “surplus”, the greater capacity for growth and blooming.