New Brassavola cucullata

[greggnkay]

Just received a B. cucullata yesterday purchased from an individual.* The plant is in a plastic pot, placed inside a clay pot (4").* The clay pot is covered by tons of healthy roots.* There is no way to remove the plant from either pot, so I placed the whole thing in a 6" octagonal basket, filling the void with fir bark mix and sphag.* Ami I doing the right thing?* The plant appears healthy, but not much evidence of recent new growth.

[Royal]

I think you are doing the right thing. Be patient.

[dgenovese1]

Hey Greg,

Your potting method sounds good to me, although with using the sphag in your mix, I'd make sure that it dries between waterings so your new roots won't rot.

Your plant looks like a very healthy specimen, and hopefully will be blooming soon! You'll love the night time fragrance when it does.

[Rosim_in_BR]

It seems to me that you did the right thing, Gregg.

[dave b]

Looks great. Nice specimen.

[stonedragonfarms]

I'm going to be the lone voice of dissent on this one; I find that cuculata does better with very little media around the roots...I'd have just dropped it in a basket and let it do it's thing...
Adam

[Mahon]

Very nice specimen!

I will also agree with the no media around the roots. This species likes high humidity, and a lot of drying out time. Mine is about to bloom, which is usually triggered by a cut in watering. I sure wish mine could begin to compare in size to yours!

-Pat

[greggnkay]

The pot was set 'as is' in the basket since there is no way to remove the plant without major root damage. The media surrounding the pot is really just there to stabilize the pot inside the basket. The sphag is not touching the exposed roots. I just thought it may add to the humidity level.

[isurus79]

Mine was also growing on a mount with no extra media as well. Termites destroyed the mount however and I just threw it in a small wood basket with no media. I now have a spike and some new growth, so Im adding my name to the camp that says spag n bark might not be the way to go. Honestly, you could take out the extra media (spag n bark), strap down the pot and just let the plant ramble. Thats what Im doing and its working!

[greggnkay]

After reading all the resonses I removed the pot from the hanging basket (no disturbing the roots since pot and all had to go into the basket) and replaced the fir bark mix with wine corks. I did put a little sphag atop the corks encircling the pot to aid with humidity. Sure made the whole thng a lot lighter, to boot! Thanks everyone.