Repotting my bifoliate catt

[rbarata]

Something I haven't noticed before, a new root at the base of new growth.

[estación seca]

Is the current pot comparable in depth to the basket? You could just secure the pot to the bottom of the basket, and let the plant figure it out. A lot of people use this method for basketing. You don't have to disturb the roots, and the living part of the plant will soon be out of the decomposing bark in the old pot.

[rbarata]

ES, the plant is already in the basket, with new extra-course bark (I've choosed the biggest chunks) and some pieces of cork.

[rbarata]

Here's how the new growth looks today, I could swear these leaves have growth twice it's size since yesterday.
Not really noticeable in the photo but they are a really pale green with tones of purple, maybe too much in one of the edges.
They are curled, I don't if it's because they are still opening, because I've been rotaing the plant to make the new growth grow straight or if it's because the plant needs more water. The edge that is more curled is the same with the strongest purple tone. What do you think?

The HR in the room is somewhere between 25 to 35% and I've been watering it every 3 days. It has new roots growing at a rate of 0,2 in/day and they are going inside the medium.

Anyway, enough talking... here are the photos...

BTW, it already has a new sheath, a fat sheath that seems promissing. Isn't it too early?
If I recall correctly, the last one appeared a little later, after the new growth was mature.

[estación seca]

It looks very good, and that is a sheath.

[Roberta]

That looks beautiful! Maybe increase the watering... since it is growing rapidly, with the lengthening days, it can use more. With the basket and open mix, it is pretty hard to over-water the plant. It perhaps could benefit from a little more fertilizer, as well - again because it is in rapid growth.

[rbarata]

Yes, over-water it seems impossible. I water it by pouring with a watering can and mist the aerial roots too until they are completely green.
I've been fertilizing every watering, 1/2 recommended dosage. Temp are still lower than the usual in summer, it means when it get warmer I'll need to water it everyday.

[rbarata]

Is this too fast?
I thought this was an autumn bloomer...

[Roberta]

Don't argue with Mother Nature... the plant is happy. Actually, some hybrids, if they have a spring bloomer and a fall bloomer in their parentage, can bloom twice a year, or even more. (Some just split the difference and bloom in summer, some favor one parent or the other) You may have one of the "twice a year" bloomer if it has previously bloomed in the fall. Well done!

One of my favorites is Cattleya Quinquecolor http://orchidcentral.org/Images/Catt...inquecolor.jpg which is C. aclandiae (a warm grower with really pretty flowers) x C. forbesii (a coid-tolerant bullet-proof plant that blooms two or three times a year with rather boring flowers) The glorious result is a bifoliate Catt with beautiful flowers that is cold-tolerant and blooms two or three times a year. Yessss...

[rbarata]

The sheath doubled its size since yesterday. That's incredible how fas it grows.

In the case of a double bloomer do they grow two pbulbs each year?