You guys are all making me want a Cattleya walkeriana so bad! I was watching one on ebay and someone else got it, because I missed the end of the bidding. There is an alba at Haussermanns that is pretty, also. I have been wanting a new catt and have been undecided about unifolate versus bifoliate, and I really want a prolific bloomer. I'm not even sure if there are any catts that bloom more often that once a year.

But this Project has me wanting a Cattleya walkeriana. Now I just have to find one!

If I had a third one, I'd try subjecting it to my Sophronitis watering regime and see how that works out; I occasionally water them during the day, but 4-5 nights a week, I water them just before the lights go out...I'll have to dig up a bit more altitude data on walkeriana; I've got a hunch it undergoes a similar cycle in its natural range, ie humid during the dawn hours with residual dew/rain, lessened humidity and warm temps during the day and an uptick in humidity towards sundown, accompanied by cooler temps and either dew/fog/rain...

I water all three if mine every day. There have been a few days where they didn't get it but not many and then they have to for sure get it the next. They are in plastic 2 inch pot 2 1/2 inch plastic and the larger one in a 3 1/2 inch clay. I was not watering the larger one every day and the psb were to thin and the leaves wrinkly so I have upped it and I think the new psb looks better. But it seems to only grow one new root per psb.

Now funny thing the baby (I will call it, I guess I should number them) has several roots for the new growth and the middle plant that has 2 new growths also has several roots per growth. Not sure what to think about that. I'm also not sure about how hot it gets in where they are, I would say somewhere in the 80's. I have just move the thermometer in there so I will see. They get morning sun. Oh and all are in bark mix.

BillieG, go for it! :)

My bag baby I got from Lowe's earlier this summer has a nice new lead growing. No new roots yet, but the original pb's have plumped up and the sound roots it started with are hanging in there.

Catherine

My mounted one is doing great, even though the potted one keeps blasting every new lead it gets. I'm glad I got the mounted one or this project would be pretty sad.

Just purchased a Walkeriana Semi Alba "Carmela"! It is mounted so I am going to have to pot it, because I am a windowsill grower. I'm so excited, but is it going to go into a pot ok from being mounted? What kind of medium so you suggest?

BillieG--

Glad you joined up!

I'm a windowsill grower during the colder months (September through April) and grow the rest of the year outdoors on a shaded porch. I too thought potted was the only way I could go since I didn't have a greenhouse....

Many rotted roots and dead plants later I learned better. Pretty much all of my catt alliance orchids and most of my dens and oncs are now mounted and they are doing much better. No more root rot (I do tend to overwater) and much, much easier to fit into limited space since I can hang them all the way up to the ceiling inside.

My wintertime house humidity runs right about 40% most days, so all the mounts seem to need is a light misting in the AM and they're good to go.

If I were you I'd order a second C. walkeriana and see which growing method works for you (yes, I'm enabling and giving you the perfect excuse to add another orchid, lol)....

Catherine

I can say the same with Catherine, I would reconsider potting... I've killed so many catt stuff that were potted... they rot so easy... and besides that I prefer things mounted and sooo hard to find a good source for mounted material... especially considering I've had such bad experiences over the years with a vendor that specializes in this, not naming names, that any new source would be welcome... were did you get said walkeriana mounted?

my sad one that had rotted roots, then attacked by ants, that i mounted now has a great new lead, maybe 3" now and leaves are forming (this growth will be bifoliate for some reason), and is forming a single big root so far... had it soaking over night (mount sat on water, leaves were completely above water) after mentionings by estacion and reading over catwalker's notes...

can't wait for the new one to come...

I'm fortunate to have access to good wood and bark here for mounts on my own property. The thick, textured bark of things like osage orange and black walnut works well. Plenty of ash bark around from all the dead trees (thank you, emerald ash borer--not), but it's thinner and more crumbly.

Grape stumps (the thick trunks at the base) can work well as long as it's not constantly wet. Maple, oak, and fruitwoods (apple, pear) also seem to hold up for me.

I'm not too far from Lake Erie, so I've also got access to driftwood and the orchids seem to thrive on it.

Perhaps the strangest mount I've got is the "stump" or base from an old multiflora rose clump I grubbed out when I was cleaning it out of the pastures. Lots of nooks and crannies and texture to it--it's been sitting outside since last summer waiting for the right orchid....

One of the nice things about this thread is that between us we can try a bunch of different growing methods for this species and collect our experiences in one area for future reference.

Catherine