mounted in the wrong orientation.

[Jeff214]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

go with a basket or a big clay pot....i am slowly finding that catts are really happy in terracotta with no medium at all

do you especially want her hanging? that can be done with a pot but harder and riskier

Yeah, me too - I am finding that Catts are happy mounted or in terracotta with minimum medium. I just dunk this mount in water once a week, then some misting here and there. Seems much happier than being potted.

For plants that really like to dry out (like this digbyana), I like it hanging. A wooden basket might work well? I've never used one before.

Originally Posted by Dusty Ol' Man

I think it looks great and, if it were mine and I had the space, would move it into open space and let it grow where it wanted.

Thanks! I wish I could grow my plants better outdoors. I'm renting and don't have much say in what I can put up in the backyard (say a shade cloth...which would freak the neighbors and HoA, apparently ). I've tried to put out Catts in areas that get shaded during the afternoon, but the leaves do get burnt a bit. I've been growing what I can indoors under lights.

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[Roberta]

I am finding that in general, my Catts do better in baskets than pots, and they do better in wood baskets than plastic ones. The roots really like the wood. But with roots as aggressive as these, it probably doesn't matter. When you drop it into a container just be gentle, to not bang up those beautiful root tips. Then filling in with a bit of large bark will also stabilize the whole arrangement so that they don't get abraded, while maintaining the air that they clearly want.

[Jeff214]

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

wow, having it mounted would scare me a little. Like you've seen this one will get big and drink lots. I hope you do well with it cause it's one I would love to grow.
It's looking good but the newest leaf has also been revaged by spider mites just in case you weren't aware this plant was/(is) infested.

Thanks for noticing the white stuff on leaf, but it is a waxy coating that is common on Rhyncholaelias (I just saw Roberta's comments, thanks!) . It tends to fade away over time. Plus I submerge the entire plant in water each week. The lower leaves get washed heavily. The white stuff looks non-water soluble, but I assume it does slowly wash away each dunk.

You'd be surprised how dry this plant likes to be!

---------- Post added at 11:35 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:22 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Roberta

I am finding that in general, my Catts do better in baskets than pots, and they do better in wood baskets than plastic ones. The roots really like the wood. But with roots as aggressive as these, it probably doesn't matter. When you drop it into a container just be gentle, to not bang up those beautiful root tips. Then filling in with a bit of large bark will also stabilize the whole arrangement so that they don't get abraded, while maintaining the air that they clearly want.

I've been transferring most of my catts into plastic net baskets + terra cotta or shallow terra cotta potts. I haven't tried out wood baskets, simply due to the size the wiring adds to the set up. I might just bite the bullet on this one! These roots are surprisingly flexible, though! The roots have gone through some abuse... Always better to be careful, I agree.

It is sort of dramatic how well the plants do once they get enough aeration to the roots!

[DirtyCoconuts]

i know it is not for everyone but i would use big lava rock to fill in the area between the basket and the mount....its way bigger and way tougher than bark so it wont move and it wont rot.

[InnaK]

what a beautiful plant, the roots look wonderful!

[WaterWitchin]

Well, I just learned something new today. I have a Rl. digbyana that's just a start... got it about a year ago. As it's grown, it has had this weird whitish coating on the leaves. I kept looking at it under a magnifying glass, trying to occasionally wipe down the leaves, to no effect. Had never seen anything like it before. Glad I didn't scrub so hard I ruined leaves.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Well, I just learned something new today. I have a Rl. digbyana that's just a start... got it about a year ago. As it's grown, it has had this weird whitish coating on the leaves. I kept looking at it under a magnifying glass, trying to occasionally wipe down the leaves, to no effect. Had never seen anything like it before. Glad I didn't scrub so hard I ruined leaves.

Yup, that white coating (sort of a sunscreen), as well as the vertical orientation of the leaves, indicates that this species grows in nature in very bright light. (Rl. glauca has that white coating on leaves too... "glaucous")

[DirtyCoconuts]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Well, I just learned something new today. I have a Rl. digbyana that's just a start... got it about a year ago. As it's grown, it has had this weird whitish coating on the leaves. I kept looking at it under a magnifying glass, trying to occasionally wipe down the leaves, to no effect. Had never seen anything like it before. Glad I didn't scrub so hard I ruined leaves.

pretty sure i sent you one right?

[Jeff214]

Updating...


Since I couldn't find large baskets in my area, I let it do it's own thing. The newest growth seems to be taking a turn back towards the mount. Still no flowers. I think grow lights may not be enough for this one...





ROOTS!

[Roberta]

That one could be in the root-porn thread.
L. anceps? I grow mine in the brightest full sun that I can give them. And have never had sunburn on L. anceps either. Tough as nails. I have definitely had them grow around the back of the mount, over the top of the mount, wherever it found space. After all, in nature they grow on round trees, not flat mounts.