Cattleya walkeriana var. concolor, nice surprise

[Dorothy]

Sm .. conditions, conditions, conditions

[Rosim_in_BR]

Originally Posted by Dorothy

Mauro - how often do you have to repot - That must be quite a chore!
Are they in pure sphag or do you mix in anything additionally?

I add very little balls of white styrofoam (I scratch them from any larger piece) in a proportion of 20% at most. I do this to facilitate water drainage. Most of my plants are in this mix. I occasionally add a little of coconut fiber (10%), but this is only because I still have a little of this media left and don't want to trash it.
The media we have here (several mixes using coconut fiber, charcoal, shredded pine cone, bark and so on) rot and become useless in one and a half year, two years at most. The same length of time is achieved using sphagnum in clay pots allied to a well balanced watering and fertilization. But, in sphagnum the plants respond much better to the cultural treatments.

[Rosim_in_BR]

Originally Posted by smweaver

You even have your large-sized cattleya species (dowiana, labiata, etc.) growing in sphagnum?

Yes, Steve, they are also in sphagnum. Not all of them because I didn't have the time to repot them all, but I am doing this little by little. Even things like Oncidium trulliferum or Onc. ampliatum that traditionally they say that should be grown mounted I am growing in sphagnum.

Originally Posted by smweaver

Wow, there really is some truth in the statement that a person can learn something new every day.

Oh, yes, so true! We really can learn something new every day if we are open to learn!

Originally Posted by smweaver

I thought planting cattleyas (especially the larger ones) in sphagnum would be the quickest way to kill them.

So they say! But, as so many other things about orchids, this is also a mith. The key is the watering.

[Craig]

Mauro hello, i really like this one, such a cool light color, i orderd two walkeriana Albas from Santa Barbra orchids, i think Dorothy mentiond them awile back they have a great selection they should be here this week, they are said to be ready to bloom within the year. i have the first Cattleyas i did in a medium fir bark mix but latly ive noticed if i keep my watering at bay till it just about drys out my plants seem to love it, Phals mostly,, i have a few little catts in spag, and they are doin great, and the main thing is for me,, with the spagum moss it seems to make it easier for me to take care of a larger amount of plants with less work,, if i miss watering my bark mixes they seem to look bad within a few days, or if its hot in 2 days they are bone dry, i have to pay more attension to them than my spag mixes by far,, its a personal thing, but i started noticing it more after i herd you talk about spag in the past, im gonna put my walkerianas in spag and i think they will enjoy it, well thanks for posting the pictures they brightend my day,, i love the full shots also!!! thanks again!!

[Tindomul]

Wow, nice one Mauro. I love these soft colored Catts.

[Rosim_in_BR]

Originally Posted by Craig

Mauro hello, i really like this one, such a cool light color, i orderd two walkeriana Albas from Santa Barbra orchids, i think Dorothy mentiond them awile back they have a great selection they should be here this week, they are said to be ready to bloom within the year. i have the first Cattleyas i did in a medium fir bark mix but latly ive noticed if i keep my watering at bay till it just about drys out my plants seem to love it, Phals mostly,, i have a few little catts in spag, and they are doin great, and the main thing is for me,, with the spagum moss it seems to make it easier for me to take care of a larger amount of plants with less work,, if i miss watering my bark mixes they seem to look bad within a few days, or if its hot in 2 days they are bone dry, i have to pay more attension to them than my spag mixes by far,, its a personal thing, but i started noticing it more after i herd you talk about spag in the past, im gonna put my walkerianas in spag and i think they will enjoy it, well thanks for posting the pictures they brightend my day,, i love the full shots also!!! thanks again!!

I agree Craig. Sphagnum dries out more slowly than other mixes and then we can pay a little less attention to the watering. As for walkerianas, once you calibrate the watering rythm you will see that they answer very well to this growing method!

[gixrj18]

Very nice, Mauro!