cattleya Precious Stones- potting

[Orchid Davantage]

I recently purchased a Precious Stones. The plant had no potting medium, just a few styrofoam pieces, even less clay pebbles and time released orchid food in a thin net. The roots are totally exposed. Should I treat it as a Vanda and mist it? So far I have soaked the roots once a week and mist it every so few days.

[FSUOrchids]

Was this in a basket?

[Orchid Davantage]

Yes, the net was was around the roots, like a little bag. This rests on a wooden basket.

[dounoharm]

cats like to have lots of air around their roots...but I think I would put it in a pot with very large bark, charcoal and perlite...that is my preferred medium, and I can water every week to ten days and do well...I think you will have to water this one more frequently that that for sure! whatever works for you will be fine for the cat.....

[Orchid Davantage]

Thank you, I usually have them in coconut husk mixed with some bark for some. It has worked so far. I may want to try your mix. I am not sure why the grower thought this one had to be in a basket.....saving on potting medium? If I don't repot it, it is going to require a lot of attention, air humidifier or not.

[SOS]

Precious Stones is a bit tricky to grow sometimes. In regards to the reason it may have been growing that way. Precious Stones = Psyche (coccinea x cinnabarina) x aclandiae

The aclandiae in it makes it susceptible to root issues. If you've ever grown that you know how it likes to have dry rapidly. While the coccinea in it offers the tolerance of wetter conditions, I still trend to grow it more like it's drier growing parents.