Cattleyas light cycles and blooming

[rbarata]

You can also use something to line the basket if you want smaller chunks of medium. Here in the US they sell rounds of coconut fiber pressed into sheet form. These are sold in sizes to fit round, shallow wire hanging baskets. You could also use old shade cloth, burlap from a rice bag, or anything else that will stand up to the weather and moisture.

That's what I was thinking, I can get easily all those materials.

One more question, isn't it more difficult to repot catts in wood baskets? I'm not sure, but I think the roots tend to stick more to the wood than to plastic.

[estación seca]

As Stalin said, you have to break some eggs to make an omelette.

[rbarata]

As Stalin said, you have to break some eggs to make an omelette.

It says it all.

And what about pot size? This plant is growing roots like crazy...

[estación seca]

It doesn't matter so much, because the basket is shallow and will dry out rapidly. But they don't last forever. I think people get between 2 and 5 years from wood baskets most of the time.

[Roberta]

Another useful item for lining wood baskets so that the bark doesn't fall out is plastic mesh that is sometimes used for fruits/vegetables, or even for packing plants (I got a "lifetime supply" of plastic mesh "tubes" that can be cut to make flat pieces, when a vendor was unpacking at a show, plants packed in it... I basically relieved him of his garbage bag when he was done. He was happy to net need to take it to the bin, I was happy to get some very useful material for lining baskets)

Another thing that I have used for wire baskets,could be used for other types, is newspapers. Eventually they disintegrate, but by that time the media has packed into place and doesn't fall out. Not attractive, but does lets water drain (slowly)

[rbarata]

Since there are a lot of different wood baskets... I would find really useful to know what kind of baskets (shape) you'd use.
Can you post a photo?

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by rbarata

Since there are a lot of different wood baskets... I would find really useful to know what kind of baskets (shape) you'd use.
Can you post a photo?

I use both square and octagonal baskets, which come in a wide range of sizes. I like the octagonal ones better, but the square ones tend to cost less. Quality of the wood is "whatever I get", the manufacturers seem to use more attractive wood in the hexagonal ones most of the time.

[estación seca]

I almost forgot... there are also plastic baskets.

https://www.chulaorchids.com/ultimat...d-baskets.html

[rbarata]

Thanks for the photos.

Those are the basket I was thinking...easy to get around here. In fact I bought one of those made of plastic for my Stanhopea. But, in this case, I think a wood basket would be better, for visual reasons only.

I'm planning to get a wood one. The she's in now is, roughly, 13 cm / 5,11 inch at the top and gets crowded in a year time. So, I'll have to get one equivalent to a 18 cm / 7 inch. This is just my intuition talking so your oppinion would be valuable as always.

One thing I've found today: moss growing inside the pot. Probably some spores that came in the new mix or, most probable, remains of the vendor's moss. Looking at the beginning of this thread, I've mentioned that I couldn't remove completely the moss that was there to avoid breaking some roots.

[Roberta]

That moss tells why the plant would be happier in a basket, and is sending roots all over the place... it is much too wet in the pot, Catts do like to dry out between watering. The roots in the air get that, any that are still alive in the pot don't. Looking at that very wet pot, this one should certainly come out of the pot (and I think that you will find that the good roots are the ones outside) I think that you have high humidity!