Mounted Catt Success

[PhalPal]

Here is one of my few thriving Cattleya. I have experimented for the past year growing orchids in the catt alliance several different ways and this one has to be my best outcome. I grow him outside all year and it is mounted on cork bark with some spraghum. This is the second blooming in a year and he seems tougher than nails.

Introducing Lc. Jungle Elf 'Carmela'

[amersault]

just gore-jus!

proves to me how versatile Catts can be (now please explain why i keep killing them, lol).

[rodbender]

Looks like that 1 realy likes what ya have done for it. Great job!!

[kninum]

wow- it lokks like it is very happy with it's home, good growing

[norris]

Those are beautiful blooms! You're definitely doing something right. I have not had good luck with my 2 mounted Catts. both are now very close to being in orchid heaven

[jay]

That is amazing. I love the colors.

[kmarch]

I'm happy to hear of your success with mounting cattleyas. I know a few other members have some mounted too. Thanks for posting! It's a VERY charming little flower. I really like the dusting of red speckles.

[fred]

good growing Connie
thanks for sharing with us
now I need a second bib
I love Catt's

[solay]

Beautiful. Now if one of mine would just do the same. I love Catts. They are so exotic and beautiful.

[LauraGR]

That is a really pretty combination. Lots prettier than a lot of pots! Good job!

[davetheorchidaddict]

Nice looking orchid and a good looking mount, I always get a thrill when I watch the roots grab hold om the mount then produce a beautiful bloom.

[evagentry]

Very nice to see your success with this catt. Beautiful little bloom!

[NancyG]

Beautiful blooms. I've been working on my catt skills for awhile now too. I'm more successful with the catt hybrids but that doesn't mean I still keep trying with the species.

good work,

NancyG

[trinigirl]

That's really beautiful with the red spots and the bit of red on the lip. The yellow is nice and bright. How many growth did you have since mounting it in the past year?

Sarah

[PhalPal]

Thanks everyone!!!

Dave I love watching roots grow too! They are the growth most indicative that I am doing something right.
Sarah I mounted Elf a year ago last fall and have had two sets of new leaves and two spikes, both with two flowers each. I grow him with my cyms and apparently he likes it there. He's probably confused and thinks he's a cym.

[virgil]

I am into mounting my divisions of catts , For two reasons, I like the looks of mounted plants and it gives me more bench room.

[davetheorchidaddict]

I have several mounted Catts in bloom right now, I love to sit in the gh and relax just looking at all my orchids, in winter that is the only way I find all that are in bloom.

[lmartiny]

I'm ending up with a lot of hangers vs. potted so running out of places to hang. But mostly slatted baskets, not mounts. I've got a nice long piece of bamboo if I could find a couple of trees to attach it where there is decent light. I just got a good sized catt that will need a repot. Maybe I'll try a piece or two on a mount. I've not seen cork or fern tree bark in the regular stores. Do you have to mail order?

Oh. And PS. I can't imagine wandering around that many orchids and just "discovering" something in bloom. How fun.

[articuno75]

Originally Posted by davetheorchidaddict

I have several mounted Catts in bloom right now, I love to sit in the gh and relax just looking at all my orchids, in winter that is the only way I find all that are in bloom.

The mounts look great. I have a division of a bigger Catt that I was wanting to see about mounting, but I was leary to do so and I went ahead and potted it up. But after seeing this I think I'm going to rethink this and just might mount the even bigger Catts.

We'll see later on if I take the plunge.

[katrina]

Elf is gorgeous!! Yep...I'd say it's very, very happy on that mount. Good job!!

Jenny -- you and I both have very similar climate conditions and I have some mounted catts...all doing fab. In the summer they are outside and I spray every day w/the hose. In the winter, soaked every 7-10 days (depending on the mount) for about 30 minutes plus spraying w/sprayer in between when the sphag gets crunchy...just enough to moisten it up a bit. They all seem to love being mounted. As a matter of fact, I have 3 that are mounted on a wood log basket together and those were just this side of orchid heaven when I mounted them last summer....their roots have gone wacko all around the basket and one of them is in sheath. The basket is a bit cumbersome to maneuver and needs to go into the shower (due to the size) for soaking so he only gets soaked about every 10 days or so. I was initially really concerned about them lasting through the winter but I've found that as long as I remember to hydrate them they seem to love being mounted.

[articuno75]

I've got mini Catts that are mounted, but I keep chickening out every time I want to do the bigger ones. LoL I think my fear is that they either won't grow on the mount right or that I just won't get it on there right.

[davetheorchidaddict]

lmartiny check out www.BlossomProducts.com I have bought a lot of their products and find all to be satisfactory. I have gotten several treefern trunks which make real good mounting material.

Jenny I have large Catts mounted too, none are in bloom now but I will post pictures when they do bloom. If nothing else I will mount them on the bottom of a wooden basket and let them grow, tomorrow I will be mounting another large Catt on something. I have also used parts from cedar roots which can have some interesting turns and branches. I generally get a large stump with roots attached and then cut it up.

I do not use spag so I water daily in the summet and every 2 or 3 days in the winter. I will soon increase the number of days that I water as the days get longer because the orchids grow more with the increase of the light.

[katrina]

Originally Posted by articuno75

I've got mini Catts that are mounted, but I keep chickening out every time I want to do the bigger ones. LoL I think my fear is that they either won't grow on the mount right or that I just won't get it on there right.

The three on the basket mount are all large catts...I had to be super creative in getting them to hang on their but they're doing great. I have mounted on that basket 1 C. Irene Hoguin ‘Brown Eyes’ (good sized plant- in sheath) and 2 Lc Shenandoah ‘Orchidheights’ (really, really big plants!).

I use the sphag to help w/moisture...it can get really dry up here in OH...more winter in the house but our summers can go either way...one week super humid then the next 2 weeks dry as a bone. I find it makes my life a little simpler. Heck, about a month ago I unpotted all my larger phals which were in a phal bark mix...I mixed a bunch of chopped sphag into that mix then plunked them back in their pots. It's helped immensely in maintaining moisture. Prior to doing this I was having to water every 3 or 4 days because they were drying out so bad in the house and they were looking wilt-y. Today...leaves plumping back up and...drum roll please...I'm starting to see some spikes! I don't know if this was the repot or just a timing thing but prior to that repot, no one was doing anything. I know sphag gets a lot of 'bad press' but I absolutely LOVE it!!

[PhalPal]

I buy my cork bark from CalWest: http://www.calwesttropical.com/
I usually catch them at shows but their prices are the best I have seen and their shipping costs are reasonable too. They sell only supplies, no orchids.

[articuno75]

What is the better way to mount a bigger Catt? Train it to go all the way around the mount, (a log mount) climbing upwards, or to keep it to one side and train to stay on that particular side?

[lmartiny]

Jenny, I'm with you. Look forward to advice on this.

[mgfree]

Originally Posted by articuno75

What is the better way to mount a bigger Catt? Train it to go all the way around the mount, (a log mount) climbing upwards, or to keep it to one side and train to stay on that particular side?

Hi Jenny,

In my experience it always depends on the growth habit and root structure of the individual plant. I usually try to guess which way the new growth is going to head and mount the orchid off centre on the mount so that the plant eventually uses up the space.

However, trying to mount a pot grown Catt complete with spiralling roots is easier said then done. I soak mine for a while, remove the dead roots then have a play around with the mount I've chosen to see which way the Catt will sit best. I also cover the roots with moss (not spag) that I harvest off the palms in my yard (a little unorthodox I know, but works a treat). I also only use fishing line as it's unsightly and does have some stretch over time.

Cork is probably the best material to use, as a lot of times there are nooks and crevasses that you can tuck the roots into in order for them to sit more flat on the mount.

[articuno75]

LoL, now for another question, do you place the Catt standing upright on the cork or do you lay it parallel to the surface for better hanging?

These were the mortifying thoughts that would race through me and then I'd go back to "Old faithful potting" LoL

[katrina]

Originally Posted by mgfree

Hi Jenny,
I usually try to guess which way the new growth is going to head and mount the orchid off centre on the mount so that the plant eventually uses up the space.

However, trying to mount a pot grown Catt complete with spiralling roots is easier said then done. I soak mine for a while, remove the dead roots then have a play around with the mount I've chosen to see which way the Catt will sit best.

Cork is probably the best material to use, as a lot of times there are nooks and crevasses that you can tuck the roots into in order for them to sit more flat on the mount.

I've situated mine the same way Michelle has. Trying to guess the direction of the growth and placing off-center but ultimately the way it fits onto the mount is the end result placement.

I have both the basket and cork...like both. Instead of fishing line I use those cloth wrapped wires you find in flower arranging sections at craft stores. I've tried to use the fishing line but just never could get it right. The wires are much easier for me...they come in different colors and don't detract from the overall look very much.

I have the catts mounted upright...I don't know if it matters which way they are situated...and I preferred the upright look. Plus, from a spacial stand-point...upright takes up less space than horizontal placement.

[Brooke]

Determining the growth habit of the catt. is the most important thing to consider when deciding to mount. I have some big catts that grow in a Y pattern, some march across a pot and some climb on themselves.

I would be hesitant to mount a Y pattern catt. Even when grown in a pot, it takes a huge pot and you have a lot of vacant space between the active new growths.

Marchers are great because you can tell the direction of growth.

Climbers are even better because when confined to a pot, the new growths will raise themselves out of the media. This type is a natural for a mount.

The other thing to consider is the size and weight of the pbulbs. I have some catts with huge fat pbulbs and some with the long skinny pbulbs. Eventually the weight of the mount could be an issue.

Hopefully this will give you something to think about when selecting catts for your mounts.

Brooke

[articuno75]

Thanks everyone. I've got some good ideas and will keep them in mind for later.