Cattleya Potting and Growing

[donkeymom]

I've been reading posts for several days. I am soooo confused. I hope some of you experienced orchid geeks can help me sort it out.
I am planning to get a couple small Cattleyas. I will be keeping them indoors where I can control the temperature, light, and humidity. So, here's my general question:
If you were going to supply the ideal environment for some young Cattleyas, what would you do?

What temperatures?
What humidities?
How much light?
What potting media (in a plastic pot with slits up the side)?
What fertilizer, and at what concentration?
Would you let it completely dry out before watering again?
What other things would you do that I'm not thinking about?

Thank you for all your suggestions. I just want my first orchids to have a happy home.

[Aniko]

Welcome to the forum
You feel confused just because you get to much information in a very short time. You'll see, it's not at all complicated.Start by considering the most important things - than step by step you will be able to figure out the rest.
Cattleyas are not the easiest to grow.The most important elements for them are:
- the bright light (about 3500-4000 foot candles) which is approximately the light of a South facing window sill.
- the correct watering practice: abundant watering fallowed by a pause until the medium drys out completely.
Humidity, temperature, etc. are secondary as importance.
Good luck, and feel free to ask specific questions!

[prisana]

donkeymom, I wish I could help, but I don't grow orchids indoors . They need strong light , never direct sun, lots of water once a week and lightly in between, feed 1/4 strength fert once a week for me, but like I said our growing condition is different, I don't let my catts go completely dry, just almost completely dry ..

Aniko's advice is very easy and basic to follow. I'd go with that one, that's all you'll really need for now . You can also look around for cattleya culture on the net if you wish for more detailed info. Before you know it , you'll know your catts like the back of your handd. Good luck and happy growing.

[donkeymom]

Thank you both for your advice. I had been using the search in the forum for Cattleya. So many results I was drowning. When I plugged in Cattleya Culture, I found several really good posts giving me much of the info I needed.

Do you have any recommendation on the type of fertilizer these guys prefer?

Many farmers spread poultry manure on their fields. I have a water softener in the house because the water has lots of iron and sulfur in it - stinky! For drinking, I run the softened water through a reverse osmosis filter. Where do you suggest I get water? From my well, before it goes through the softener? From my RO filtered drinking water? From a stream? Somewhere else?

Thank you

[jerrymeola]

donkeman

I raise 10s of thousands of Cattleya and think they are about the easiest after Dendrobium.

Indoors you have a problem with flowering, because even in a window sill you may not get enough light. However, in W Va you can take them outside all summer and that will be their best blooming season anyway. This is what I would recommend.

Temperature range is quite extensive for cats. I have mine outside and the temps go to under 35 and over 100. Humidity is non-existent in the winter and 4 hour a day of rain in the summer. I just ignore it all.

With young Cattleya the light levels are not important. Until they are blooming size lower light is an advantage.

Water would be best out of your RO. The well water would be OK if you need larger quantities. I would avoid softened water because softeners sometimes allow some salt to come through. The RO would remove it.

I use two fertilizers. Worm Tea is my favorite (concentrated liquid worm manure) and in the past I have used a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer at the rate of 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. The brand is not important, although, many people do not like Urea based fertilizers. I have never noticed enough of a difference to matter.

Really soak the Cattleya. If you only have a few I would suggest a dunking every week for 30-45 minutes. It takes a while for Cattleya to absorb the water necessary to grow those big plump pseudo bulbs. Let them dry before the next watering.

Look for miniature or semi-miniature Cattleya for indoors. They also have a tendency to flower easier and in lower light levels. Keep them pot bound.

Here are two of my favorites.

Loveknot is a semi miniature (3-4 inches tall) with 3 1/2 inch flowers



Sogo Doll is a semi miniature (8-10 inch's) with clusters of 2 1/2 inch flowers



There are a lot more that fit the bill for window sill growing.

[Vivienne]

Thanks Jerry - great info for us Catt newbies!

[Aniko]

DonkeyMom - I post here two links, you might need them: the skewer method helps to control watering, and a post from Jerry for measuring light levels with a photo camera.

Measuring the light level you can estimate the light level in your growing area, if it's enough for catts to bloom - or it's too much, and can burn the leaves. Being burned is a serious concern.

If you decide to keep them outside, you have to expose them gradually to the sun.

http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/newbie-questions/1099-skewer-use-for-watering-of-orchids.html

http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/newbie-questions/292-measuring-light-levels-with-an-slr-camera.html

[donkeymom]

Holy Moly. Even more great info. Thank you so much. I'm feeling much more confident now.

Sogo Doll is one of the varieties I was looking at. Love the colors. The Love Knot has a much subtler beauty. I'll have to really consider that one too. I wanted to get a pair of plants. Maybe I just don't want them to feel lonely.

Thank you

[Aniko]

DonkeyMom - My first re-bloomer is, indeed an 8" tall semi-mini which gave me confidence and joy (the pics are posted at the Photo Competition - May) . After 5 weeks the bloom is a little faded but fragrant yet, and a new growth have already emerged !
I'm really anxious to see my "big" Catt what is going to do (in window sill conditions!), that is not as busy to prove like the small one, but developed a good root system and the new growth is getting bigger.I have a couple of near blooming sized which are looking promisingly, too.
For us, such a beginners, that is a great challenge .