Rhrds. 'Bangkok Sunset'

[Dollythehun]

I got it from New World Orchids and it was a stunning plant. When I read my conditions would work, I nagged Kristen until I got one.

[estación seca]

Why did you think it needed another basket and repotting?

[Dollythehun]

Because Kim told me to. He also suggested the moss. Without his advice I would have left it as it was. But he suggested cutting it out of the old basket first, which I couldn't do. His alternative was this result.

[Laticauda]

I'm curious as to how this plant is doing now? Did you put it in the bigger basket?

[Dollythehun]

It was lovely when I brought it in this fall. While we slept our now deceased cat chewed up the leaves. They are marred but, functional...so, it looks crappy. However, it has a couple new leaves and roots and has not declined.

I hate green sphagnum moss so, I wrapped sone synthic around the roots. I soak it every other day and it hangs in a south window (dreary Indiana). I think it could use more light but it will have to wait until I change my set up a bit.

So, all that to say, it seems to be doing reasonably well.

[Laticauda]

Thank you for the update, Dolly! I thought these prefer a more moderate amount of light, like less than high light cattleya. I certainly hope this is the case because I just ordered one and the space I have for it is on the east side of the house!

Sorry to hear about the loss of your cat.

[Dollythehun]

The cat, it was time. East would probably work but, our winters are very over cast. I've heard they'll bloom in Phal light.

[OllieK]

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[Chemtiger]

….but also a huge THANK YOU! I ordered one of these on September 10th, and I was a bit concerned about the lighting needs, along with what size I could expect the actual plant to be. I have some 6” diameter, round Vanda-type baskets that can be hung using either a 3-wire or 4-wire hanger, and now that I see how you managed to put yours into a bigger basket, without much disruption to the root system. Plus, I’m not going to try too hard to loosen the roots after seeing how the root system of yours really IS pretty much welded to the inside of the smaller square-shaped basket. Thanks to what I learned from the method that you chose to repot yours, I changed my plan a little bit. I’d already done some surgery to the little basket that I was planning to put the new one into when it arrives, but upon seeing your, uh, sticky situation, I decided to remove some of the structurally-“less-necessary” cross-members that make up the base of the basket, along with every other “slat” that connects the wide brim around the top of the basket to the “floor” of the basket. I also used my trusty soldering iron to try to smooth out the plastic where I’d cut the pieces off without actually removing even more of the plastic than I intended to (Guess what? Let’s just say that it’s a good thing that I have more than one of my nifty Vanda “baskets” and I’ve also learned that they’re not fond of being modified with a soldering iron. How would I have known?) in the hopes that I can avoid damaging the roots in my attempt to transfer it to the bigger and even see-through (FANCY!! LOL!) basket, which I’m hoping will have enough of a bottom remaining to support the little bit of NZ sphagnum moss, or else I can try my Synthic, too. I guess it would be nice to find a use for it. So, thanks again for the great post!

[rastafouni]

Keep it growing as it can. During shows in Bangkok I saw really amazing blooming of Bangkok Sunset.