What is your experience in making Cattleyas bloom?

[StanTheMan]

Thank you for your reply, estacionseca. Yes I am in Mexico City. Are you sure about the purpurata one? These days the air has been getting colder and last night the lowest temp was 5ºC (41ºF). I even brought in my pepper plantlets since they have been outside for only little over a week.

When you say the dowiana hybrids should stay warm inside, do you mean right now during this winter or all year-round?

In reality, the only plant that is a seedling is the purpurata hybrid. The BC came from Ecuagenera so I think it is blooming size, as well as the lueddemanniana. The rest have been in bloom, even though the bloom the bifoliate came with might have been its first one.

I gotta admit, I love watching Catts grow new roots and sprouts and all that.

Thanks,

Stan

[Roberta]

My purpuratas live outside all year around. Nights at my house this time of year are about 4-5 deg C (40-42 deg F), may go a bit lower for a few hours, close to freezing. I don't protect them from rain, either. They grow into "beasts". Seedlings may need a bit of protection (but not much) but mature purpurata plants laugh at the cold. Of course, my plants are well acclimated... they have been outside for years. If I acquire a plant in the fall or winter, that should be cold-tolerant, I often pamper it indoors until spring when I put it outside, and it then has the full cycle of seasons to acclimate. If I know that the plant has been grown under conditions similar to mine, no problem. But if it has been greenhouse-grown, or I don't know its history, I will be a little more cautious,

C. dowiana is another story... that species is a warm grower, probably should not go much below 18 deg C (65 deg F). Hybrids where C. dowiana is dominant need the same treatment.

[StanTheMan]

Originally Posted by Roberta

My purpuratas live outside all year around. Nights at my house this time of year are about 4-5 deg C (40-42 deg F), may go a bit lower for a few hours, close to freezing. I don't protect them from rain, either. They grow into "beasts". Seedlings may need a bit of protection (but not much) but mature purpurata plants laugh at the cold. Of course, my plants are well acclimated... they have been outside for years. If I acquire a plant in the fall or winter, that should be cold-tolerant, I often pamper it indoors until spring when I put it outside, and it then has the full cycle of seasons to acclimate. If I know that the plant has been grown under conditions similar to mine, no problem. But if it has been greenhouse-grown, or I don't know its history, I will be a little more cautious,

C. dowiana is another story... that species is a warm grower, probably should not go much below 18 deg C (65 deg F). Hybrids where C. dowiana is dominant need the same treatment.

Thank you. The purpurata hybrid has been with me for more than 6 months, so my frame of reference is now my home haha. I'm thinking of putting it outside and if temps go lower than 12ºC (53.6ºF) or so, I'll bring it back. The amount of sun it will be receiving will be slightly greater than the one it is receiving currently, so it would just mean a step further on its progression to full sun. I definitely love monster plants (and especially cattleyas) so I am aiming for that

Cheers,

Stan