What media/pots for my first non-phals?

[LadySoren]

Originally Posted by CambriaWhat

Oooh I think I can answer this one. Plants like this bloom on new growth so old pbulbs will not flower again. Their primary function now is as energy reserves.

But like, if an old one never has flowered ever, does that mean its time is done and never will flower?

[james mickelso]

The potinara will not get very large. Most are fairly compact. The mini cats are hybrids using potinara as parents somewhere in their lineage. The "eyes" or growth buds are at the bases of the pbulbs and when they start growing, and get some roots, that is the optimum time to repot them. They can be repotted as necessary but I would wait until the new growth has some roots. I like small to medium bark, perlite or sponge rock along with some charcoal as a media for potinara and I like it for milts also. Milts like an airy media. Their fine root systems do not like to be kept "wet". Just damp. And that is facilitated by using an airy media. My Wilsonara is in this medium mix and it is doing well. Milts don't like to be repotted very often just like most oncids. The roots are very fine and easily damaged. I take mine out of the pot by laying the pot on it's side and gently pulling it out. Then I take a hose and spray the media away. But as yours is in moss, I would use tweezers and gently pull as much of it away as I could but it's not necessary to get it all off. When repotting make sure you put something inorganic in the bottom center of the pot to lay the root mass on top of so the roots are splayed out and just pour the media on top the roots. A plant clip will facilitate keeping the plant upright in the pot until the roots take hold. The optimum time to repot is when the roots of the new growth are about 1/2 inch long. Be very careful of the new roots. Do not damage them or they will stop growing.

[LadySoren]

I bought media for the Catt and onc and am just waiting for the right time to pot. The Mtssa has a new growth as you saw, but nothing yet on the potinara. It will be a while for that one I guess.
I am scared for my Mtssa since it is in moss. I hope I am not losing roots as we speak since it is in moss...

Packing peanuts will do for the inorganic material? (They're the "bad" non-biodegradable ones)

[james mickelso]

I prefer gravel or LECA as it is heavier but peanuts are fine. The potinara needs some warmth to get going. The milt can stay in the moss as long as it is not allowed to stay wet for more than a day. Damp is fine but not wet. The problem will occur underneath the root mass. That is where it stays wet even though the top seems dry. There is less air movement under the roots. Milts and oncids have very fine and numerous roots which can grow to block airflow through the pot. Warmth helps it to get dry faster. If you look closely at the potinara you will see swellings at the base of the pbulb. These will be the future growth. But thwey need a fairly bright light to start growing. And warmth. Potinaras like a lot of orchids have a rest period after flowering. They grow new growth in the rainy season and then flower during the dry season. After flowering they wait for the rainy season to begin and then resume growth.

[LadySoren]

do I have to make it think it's raining? lol It is indoors under a light.

[LadySoren]

Hi, me again. Not wanting to starts a new thread so I don't have to introduce the plant again.

Anyway,
My Mtssa has 2 new growths coming from the same PB. I know this is possible only bc it's happening to mine, but I'd like to know how common it is. My understanding before was that only one new growth per PB until you break them apart (diving) which triggers another new growth. I didn't do anything to this one to trigger anything. Just happened. The 1st new growth is just about to open up with the leaves more. It's a few inches long. The other is about a cm or so.

[james mickelso]

It happens all the time. Otherwise there would never be "more" plants. Nice fat well cared for plants usually have two growths per pbulb. Keep them happy and you'll get 4, then 8, then 16.... And then they take over the world. Just kidding. It's usual growth for well cared for plants. Good job.

[LadySoren]

Oh good.
Yes... Then they take over the world. Exactly.

[NYCorchidman]

Congratulations!!!
The annual auction here is cancelled. Dang! Now I have to go elsewhere to shop. lol

I like that blue decoration pot!

Anyways, I love the plasticy leaves of catts. I can just grab on them and move around without worrying about damaging the plants. lol

---------- Post added at 12:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:06 PM ----------

Originally Posted by LadySoren

At some point all new pbulbs will grow to be about the same size then? The new ones aren't going to be gigantic pBulbs. Lol The small ones were just immature or little to begin with?
I'm mostly thinking of the Mtssa because the tiny pbulb doesn't even have leaves or any sort.

Also, if anyone could see my post about the spots and let me know if that's just normal, that would be helpful.

Thanks guys!

Those very small pbs with or without leaves are the oldest ones. The newer pbs will be usually around the same gigantic size all the time, unless you severely underwater while plant is actively growing, keep the plants in the dark, or plant just do crazy things, but usually under normal care, the mature plant will always make the same large sized pbs each time once they are mature, which yours is.

A few spots here and there are fungal attack. To me, those aren't as bad as some others I have seen. I'd say pretty good for oncidium standard. lol

The dark marks on cattleyas, I have no idea. I have cattleyas that are perfectly clean, and some that show the same dark marks on leaves and pbs. So far, they have never spread or anything, so I figured it's alright. but it does creep me out sometimes. I actually chucked one out and now I have only one cattleya with this kind of mark. I'm not sure what to do.

---------- Post added at 12:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:12 PM ----------

But, I have some orchids I've had 4-5 years where new growth / pbulbs are STILL getting bigger.

What are those???


Just noticed the recently maturing pbulbs in Onc Sharry Baby are as big as my fist!

That is small for Sharry Monster. The one I gave away last year had pbs as big as half my forearm and it was the norm I've seen with Sharry Monster everywhere.

Some Catt hybrids I always thought of as relatively compact, are looking not so compact recently ...

I really wish cattleyas were much smaller in plant size, or much bigger in flower size to make up for it. lol