same problem in many cattleyas

[marcecarloh]

i´m having problems with my cattleyas, most of them don´t bloom many years ago and some of the oldest leaves are wrinkle, i don´t know if it´s a natural process. pictures 1-3 in particular it´s a Lc. tropical pointer cheetah, it doesn´t look healthy, with a very slow growth and no new roots. the ¨new¨ growth looks healthy but didn´t bloom.
thanks for you help!!

[kelbel2185]

I by no means am and expert....but, I've been experiencing this too. I think it is due to a poor root system leading to severe dehydration. I would bare root one and see if your roots are ok....sometimes this happens when I get over zealous and overpot my orchids when I re- pot.

Hopefully someone else will have a better idea or explination.

[tucker85]

It looks like it might be in a plastic pot and it has small size mix. Both those elements keep the roots too wet. I like to grow mine in wooden baskets or natural clay pots with a large, chunky mix. Cattleya roots need to be able to breath and dry out quickly.

[isurus79]

The previous suggestions are what I would mention as well. You'll need to repot your plants into media that is larger. Burnt leaf tips can also be caused by too much fertilizer, though it might just be that too much fert is being trapped in the media and that problem will go away when you repot.

[marcecarloh]

in picture number 3 you can see some of the media. it´s coconut with some volcanic stone. i bought some of them with that media and in plastic pot so I have them in that scenario. i used to water my orchids every day because I thought they were receiving too much sun but now i water every other day. should I water them less than that??. it´s the media still small?
I also repot some of that orchids to a piece of wood and I think they look happier there but I would like to have some of theme in baskets so I can have them in my living room when they bloom

---------- Post added at 05:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:13 PM ----------

they like big or small pots like dendrobium??

[AnonYMouse]

I only have three catts and the oldest one is only a year old but I am growing all three in semi-hydro. They haven't flowered yet but all three are doing GREAT! New roots and new growth. I know this is against conventional wisdom regarding catts but it is working so far in my mostly-intermediate climate. The caveat is that they haven't completed a full growth/bloom cycle.

I started the first one with LECA only because I was affraid of root rot. I got worried with my inconsistent watering regimen so I submerge the pot in a inch (2.5 cm) of water.

I haven't been this successful with any other genera, but catts have been carefree.
Then:

Now:

[dounoharm]

your orchids are severely dehydrated....I imagine they have no root system to draw water up to the leaves....cattleyas in particular must have excellent drainage and aeration....they like BIG chunky media that drains and dries out rapidly....they need to be watered thoroughly, and drained quickly and completely....I see you keep them outside so you must live in a tropical environment...make sure you repot them immediately, into a relatively small pot, with large chunky bark mix, I don't like the pumice media personally, and make sure those pots you use are well drained, not closed pots...water them about every 5 days in a tropical environment, or let nature handle it....you may have to use what is known as a pot clip to hold them secure in the pot until they form new roots...they must be secure, potted hard, and not moving in the pots in order to make roots...gl

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by marcecarloh

in picture number 3 you can see some of the media. it´s coconut with some volcanic stone. i bought some of them with that media and in plastic pot so I have them in that scenario. i used to water my orchids every day because I thought they were receiving too much sun but now i water every other day. should I water them less than that??. it´s the media still small?
I also repot some of that orchids to a piece of wood and I think they look happier there but I would like to have some of theme in baskets so I can have them in my living room when they bloom

---------- Post added at 05:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:13 PM ----------

they like big or small pots like dendrobium??

If you like to water every day (which is what I like to do as well), then you just need to use much larger media (your coconut/volcanic mix looks very small) or mount your plants on wood (which you mentioned has been done with some plants). Potting in a basket (like you mentioned) is also a good idea.

And Cattleyas like small pots, similar to Dendrobiums.

[marcecarloh]

thanks so much! I´ve read about S/H media but I can´t find that in my country, not even large media, that´s why I use that coconut media that I know it´s not the best. yes I live in a tropical weather so my orchids are always outside. I will start mount them in wood, once I did that with a few, new roots start growing. thank you so much I hope my cattleyas will bloom again

---------- Post added at 08:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:24 PM ----------

what kind of large media could be the best?? i´m loking at the internet but there are so many, and if someone can help me with a web site so I can buy it

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by marcecarloh

what kind of large media could be the best?? i´m loking at the internet but there are so many, and if someone can help me with a web site so I can buy it

Large bark is probably the easiest and fastest media to find and use.