Gregor here is my alaorii -

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6111/6...98ecd3c0_z.jpg
Cattleya (Laelia) alaorii JCL_0486 by kentucky4, on Flickr

I grow it in high light, in LECA and a clay pot. It is watered every time the sun shines in the g/h. I skip watering it if it is cloudy.

It blooms multiple times a year as each new growth hardens off.

I have live sphag and it doesn't mind fertilizer but to keep it growing, it must be kept moist. If it dries, it dies.

Have fun with this one - it is an easy grower.

Brooke

That is a seedling mix made out of lava and some other rocks....let it support your plant for the moment while you are getting moss online or from the forest....moss is the best for your zone area especially indoors.
You can feed the plant with fertilizer weekly weakly=it needs to eat....you don't worry about your moss discoloration = you can always refresh it with a new batch....the important thing is the plant care.

wow! :bowing yours looks really nice! I hope one day mine will bloom like this :) :bowing

LECA... never heard of it before. but i googled it. You are all lucky to buy this kind of stuf in the store. I must order everything online and pay 20€ of shipping costs minimum.. hate that!

i will try it in moss just like isurus suggested it. but not in sphagnum. it requires too much water. L. alaori would probably rot.

You say sphagnum can survive fertiliser? hmmm i will do a little experiment. :P

thanks for the info Brooke!;)

regards Gregor

---------- Post added at 03:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:11 PM ----------

Yeah i was thinking the same :)
I'll go to the forest.. It's cheaper that way :D
I'll buy some fern online and when i get everything it's repot time.

Ill let you know how it went! ;)

Your grow zone of Slovenia has low temperatures and short summers....it is best to have your plant indoors in a bright shaded light window probably soutfacing....

i have all my orchids on a East facing window. they get a lot of morning sun and its very bright all day long. I don't have a north or south facing window in my appartment.

The other option is west facing window, but the sun is too strong for my opinion. :)

I'll post a picture of my windowsill. soon i hope:blushing:

Gregor the alaorii is a very high light plant - very. I would try to slowly introduce the plant to the west window if it gets even 30 minutes more than the east window.

My plant actually gets some midday sun through the south side of my g/h that has no shade cloth protection.

Brooke

OK Brooke i will try that ;)

Sounds like I might want to up the amount of light on my guy. Thanks for the tip Brooke!

I look forward to seeing the blooms.

Brooke

The difference between "sand" and this material is probably size. As long as the size of the particles is large enough the water won't fill the voids between the particles through capillary action so air can flow through the media which will then dry in a relatively short amount of time. This material could be a cheap alternative to bark as the grower might not be able to either get hold of another type media or afford say bark or moss. Usually small plants like this are grown in moss. Not because it is good for the plant but because as a seedling the plant is dropped right on top this and grows well. The moss stays wet which is fine for seedlings as long as the air temps are high and air movement sufficient. These orchids grow high in the trees in a very humid environment where the temps are moderated by the constant breezes. The roots have become accustomed to moss covering them due to the high humidity and plentiful rainfall.