Cattleya is fully horizontal and keeps tipping its pot!

[rosegrim]

Earlier this year I bought a Blc. “Amazing Thailand’ from a nursery. Almost all the pseudobulbs were fully horizontal and the thing was constantly on the verge of tipping. I repotted it after the blooms finished and it has now started growing new roots and a tiny new pseudobulb. It seems happy, but it’s ALL the way sideways and so precariously positioned no matter how I try to situate it: I can’t tip it to one side because there are horizontal pseudobulbs on BOTH sides of the orchid, and I’d have to smother it in potting medium to anchor it moderately securely in a pot (this is what the nursery had done, and it seemed like the roots weren’t happy about it).

When I first repotted it I tried staking it, but the pseudobulbs were so heavy and rigid they just keep pulling at the stakes and twine and I wasn't able to keep them up at all (and didn't want to force it).

So I had two potential ideas: (1) Tie it to a basket and let it attach itself to that. (2) Mount it on a big ol’ piece of something, and just let it be horizontal forever.

I’m hesitant about the basket idea because I have another giant cattleya that is happily wrapped around a basket and I’m dreading the hassle it will surely be to detach it if/when that basket starts rotting. But on the other hand, I have never mounted an orchid before.

Does anyone have suggestions on what I can do with this horizontal cattleya? It is currently hanging out in my sink because yet again was on the verge of toppling out of its pot. Any tips would be really appreciated!

I'm attaching a picture of this orchid. It was about to tip out of the potting medium so I just pulled it out because I really don't want these brand-new roots getting damaged.

[Jeff214]

I wouldn't fight the older growths and focus on securing your plans so that it can establish roots in your choice of media/pot. Whenever your plant loosens and falls out, you might damage the roots that help maintain a healthy plant.

Whenever I pot up a rowdy plant, I stake each psuedobulb and tie it with a twist tie. You can try "correcting" the growth orientations but I generally stake it the way it keeps the plant most stable in the pot. You can use a rhizome clip too. It's not aesthetically pleasing but you really want the plant to root well and establish itself in the pot.

Orchids can be top heavy, and you can prevent it from toppling over by plopping the entire orchid+pot into a larger terracotta pot. Hanging your plant can accomplish the same thing.

I'd recommend:

1: secure the plant so it doesn't move in a pot. Let the roots establish.

2: secure the entire plant in a heavier pot or hang it so it doesn't topple over.


Some of what I've done:




This one was so top heavy, I had to triple pot it...


sometimes hanging is the way to go... a crochet pot hanger is nice if you have a really rowdy plant. It swings around in the wind every which way.


and sometimes it just does whatever it wants no matter how you pot it / stake it... This one was growing at a really weird angle and I decided to pot it horizontally... I like tightly potting things up with large bark. Shoving a piece one by one until the plant is secure. I think most people would consider that overkill... but it works for me

[rosegrim]

Thank you for the suggestions, Jeff.

I actually did have this one hanging up, as I thought it would avoid accidental nudges. But it was so heavy on one side that it was a bit off kilter, and I think a breeze must have gotten it to tipping even further. A heavier pot sounds like a good idea, and I will look for a rhizome clip as well.

[Dusty Ol' Man]

You could secure the media so none comes out when the basket tips and hang it however its center of gravity wants to balance it out. Yes it will be crooked, but what's wrong with that as long as everything is secure and the plant is happy?

[rbarata]

Many Catts grow horizontally with a longer rhizome and others, apart from that, are unrully, i.e., they grow in evry directions and one can't do nothing. This, together with a lateral light source (which I suspect is your main problem) makes it even worse.
I had a Catt that was like this when I got it...


...that turned into this:


My solution was to give it away to someone who has a greenhouse and knows how to care for it.

Maybe if you can put it in a place with the light source at the top of theplant it will ease the problem.

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