Cattleya dowiana var rosita

[rebelcowgirl82]

I just got a dowiana today medium seedling.
How should I pot it? It is in coir chunks right now..... I have LECA, coir chunks, and fine bark mix. I also have baskets and round clear pots with slits in the side.
What would be the recommended way to repot it?
Thanks

[Bud]

Cattleya dowiana is one of the most beautiful of the Cattleya species and treasured by collectors since its discovery in 1850. It is the only Cattleya specie of the Cattleya labiata group that has yellow sepals and petals, and with its dark crimson-purple lip veined with gold that makes it magnificent.
The roots need to dry quickly so it is either grown in clay pots that barely makes it pot bound or it is planted in hanging baskets. All the media you mentioned can be used you don’t even have to repot it if you got it from a reputable orchid seller. Or if you really need to repot you may use the same pot as long as it easily dries out; the plastic pot you mentioned with slits on the side is ideal. Leaving it wet in damp and cold will rot the plant. It needs to rest in its dormant period December to end of January. This doesn’t mean you will withhold water completely….if you are watering this weekly then you will water it every other week. Easy on the fertilizer for this kind of orchid when you resume watering in the growth months=and no fertilizer during the rest period.

---------- Post added at 08:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:28 PM ----------

Since you mentioned you have a seedling, then you need not give it rest yet. Maybe next year when you have larger bulbs and leaves.

[rebelcowgirl82]

So LECA in the slotted pot?
I grow all of my orchids in a tent. Near the light it good Catt. light. Humidity stays around 80-85% and temps stay near 80's. I have read that overwatering will no dough kill it, I am a chronic over waterer.
Dowiana var. Rosita has been at the very top of my list for many many years.

Got it from Troy Meyers, note in the packaging said they needed to be repotted soon.

[Leafmite]

I have a seedling dowiana aurea. I received it last year instead of my C. schroederae so it was a bit of a surprise (the vendor sent me the schroederae after I called and I ended up with the dowiana, too.). I did quite a bit of research before touching it because I have heard that they can be difficult. Chadwick and Son's has a great article on how to care for it.
Here is what I have learned/done. They don't like being repotted in the off season but I had no choice as it was in bark and in my home, bark = death. What I did was to carefully extract it from its pot and gently shake off as much medium as I could, being very careful not to damage the roots in any way. Then I set it on top of some lava rock in a plastic vanda basket. I took a rock or two and gently set them to anchor the orchid. Most of the roots were left exposed. No problem...the roots easily absorb water and quickly turn green. They prefer to be drier in cooler temps. They grow at the top of the forest canopy and so they need a great deal of light. I have this in a prime spot. They don't like to have any fertilizer at all during the rest period or they tend to self-destruct. My temperatures are a little cool for their liking so the growth slows. I don't fertilize. Last spring I added eggshells so the cattleya should be getting a nice source of calcium now from the decomposing eggshells. Calcium doesn't hurt.
Just read through the Chadwick and Son's article and you will be fine.

[isurus79]

All good advice! If you are the overwatering type and you can keep the humidity high, then LECA or large grade bark in a basket will suit this plant well. As said previously, just repot this guy when the new roots are coming out rather than right away.

---------- Post added at 12:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:06 PM ----------

And the Chadwick article that Leafmite mentioned is here: Cattleya dowiana | Chadwick and Son Orchids

[catherinecarney]

Wow! Great article on C. dowiana. Thanks for the info.

Catherine