DONT disturb the roots - OR - Is the AOS wrong?

[farley101]

Yeah the website says they are having 12 - 18 day delays in shipping. If I would have known that while I was looking I may not have placed an order at this time. Oh well, just have to wait a little!

Originally Posted by MJG

Fyi, regarding Hausermann timing, I placed my order April 29 and received it this Tuesday, 5/19. I placed an order with them earlier in April and the wait time was similar. I guess part of the delay might have been weather-related. But for sure they are slammed while complying with the covid restrictions. Professional as always though!

---------- Post added at 06:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:38 PM ----------

I can probably grow in whatever here, I have most plants in bark but a decent amount of phals are in sphag. I am slowly switching out from that as I tend to let it get too dry and crispy so it's hard to rehydrate.

Bark seems to work good, I can be a little heavier with the watering and it will not hold it too long and cause issues. I'm experimenting with lava rock right now for some cattleya seedlings. A little worried about keeping up with watering them in the winter with that though.

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

i got mine last week, two inch pot, roots looked fine as i cleaned them ever so gently and repotted in a nice big pot of inorganic media, conventional wisdom be damned.

i KNOW i will kill anything potted in sphagnum, fact, so, i have to adapt them to me or they will fail for sure.....

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by farley101

Y I'm experimenting with lava rock right now for some cattleya seedlings. A little worried about keeping up with watering them in the winter with that though.

For little babies (seedlings)/juveniles ..... sphag or small orchiata bark (or some other good quality bark) can be quite nice --- watering more toward the edges of the pot can still provide enough water or moisture for the roots to keep them going nicely. Or just suitable doses of water without watering edges is quite ok too. Whatever works nicely is ok hehehe

[farley101]

Updating my experience, I was watering tonight and noticed a root growing across the top of the medium. There were some surface roots that had been cut short and this had branched off of it. Also, looks like another spike is starting to form from the other pseudobulb!

But I also noticed that I may have messed up the repot and put the newest pseudobulb by the side of the pot. Are these plants flexible where new growths com from or should I do an emergency move before more roots need to be disturbed? 😆

Pics attached, first of spike! Yay! Second, leaf at top of photo is growing from the side of the leafless pseudobulb, hence I think that is the newest growth and I've got it positioned badly. 😖

Any suggestions appreciated!