What a question? There seem to be as many opinions on how to do
this, as there are types of cattleyas. What we need to do is simplify the process to enjoy our hobby more and stress
over our plants less. Think of orchids as weeds, and believe me they are weeds in a lot of areas around the world.
In Florida, they grow along the roads, in trees, and in the swamps.
Your conditions are not mine, and my growing conditions are not yours. My neighbor just 100 feet away from my orchid
growing area does not have all of the same conditions as I have for my orchids. He may water his orchids more often,
have a tree shade his growing area, use rain water, or just ignore his orchid plants more than I do mine. There
are basic growing conditions that must be met for the orchid plants to survive.
To begin, sit down and really take the time to inspect your orchid plants. They will tell you if something is wrong
or missing. Look at the leaves. Are they dark green (almost black), or light green (almost lemon yellow)? Check
for stiffness, curling, pleats, wrinkles, spots, and brown tips. Now look at the pseudobulbs. Are they plumb, twisted,
shriveling, deeply creased, weak, with a dry covering or still green? Look at the roots. Are there new roots, roots
over the edge of the pot, soft brown mushy-looking roots? Now look at the rhizome for insect damage, dried covering,
and brown areas. Check to see if the orchid plant is above or below the growing media.
A weak, sick plant may still bloom. That is because it is trying to propagate and form seeds before it dies. Therefore,
it does not matter if the orchid plant has bloomed or not. Each plant should be inspected for health. Healthy plants
will produce more blooms that are bigger, brighter, and have better shape than plants grown in poor conditions.
Light:
Cattleyas on the whole need bright light to be able to bloom to
their fullest potential. You must take several things into account for the correct light. Time of year is very
important. During the late fall, winter, and early spring, my cattleyas get full sun, with only a translucent plastic
cover protecting them from the direct sun. At this time of year, the sun's rays are not as intense and the added
light allows the cattleyas to flourish. During late spring, summer, and early fall, they need added shade from
the intense sun. I use Aluminet 60% in the greenhouse during this time. Aluminet also helps control heating and
cooling in the greenhouse. To determine if you are getting the right amount of sun, inspect plants that you have
had in the same spot at least 3 months. If the color is dark green, then there is too much shade. If color is light
green (almost lemon yellow), then they are getting too much sun. If the leaves are stiff and resistant to bending,
then they are okay. If they are soft and bend easily then they need light, water, or fertilizer.
Water:
Rain water is best... then well water... then "Reverse Osmosis"
water... and last is city water. Rain water has many beneficial elements that are not in the other three. Cattleyas
need to dry out before the next watering. It is true that more cattleyas are killed from over watering than under
watering. The pseudobulbs may become very shriveled when under watered, but with soaking, they can re-hydrate and
be just fine. If the leaves are wrinkled like old skin, this may indicate a root problem, not a watering problem.
It is important to understand that moisture is measured at or near the center of the pot - not on top of the pot.
A bamboo skewer works well and is very cheap. Run your fingers down the bamboo and you will feel how smooth it
is to the touch. Now insert it into the center of the pot for a few seconds (about 10). Remove it and run your
fingers down the bamboo again. It there is moisture in the center of the pot, the bamboo will be rough and have
resistance to your fingers sliding down the bamboo. Do not water if your plants already have moisture. One side
note - you do not have to test each pot. One small, one medium, and one large pot should be enough to let you know
if you need to water. Small pots dry out faster than large pots.
Media:
Use what is available to you. There are as many different mixes
as there are master growers. What is needed is for the roots to get air, dry out between watering, and not stay
wet too long. If your media does not dry out in 5 to 7 days then it is probably too water retentive. On the other
hand, if your media stays wet 3 to 4 days, you are going to rot your roots. Notice that there is a difference between
damp and wet. If you grow in pure rock you may need to water every other day.
Food:
I've always been told: water first and then feed. But, when you
think about it, this does not necessarily make sense. Orchid roots are like sponges - they take up water and when
they are saturated, they will not take up any more water. If you've already saturated the roots with water, how
will the roots take up any fertilizer? The potting mix may hold some fertilizer for the plants to take up, but
not much.
I fertilize my orchids every other watering. I use 1 teaspoon of Peter's 20-20-20 fertilizer per gallon of water,
and I don't water before doing it. Twice in the fall, I water with Epson Salt to give the plants needed magnesium.
When choosing a fertilizer, look for one that has micro nutrients. This is the main reason people are sold on different
fertilizers. They have finally found one with micro nutrients and have seen positive differences in their plants.
Humidity:
I grow in open air, so when the humidity is below 50% I mist the
plants. Do not mist until the water runs off the plant, because this is called watering - not misting. I spray
the floor very well and the evaporation increases the humidity in the growing area.
Sheaths:
DO NOT remove a dried bud sheath unless you are absolutely positive it will not bloom.
Some Cattleyas,especially the late winter/early spring bloomers naturally produce and bloom from dry bud sheaths.
The green sheaths are produced on the new growth the summer before, dry during the winter, and produce a bloom
spike from the dry sheath between December and February. Examples of these species include C. skinneri, trianei,
aurantiaca, guttata, labiata, mossiae, percivaliana, mendelii and schroderae. Likewise, some Cattleyas do not need
a sheath to bloom. The sheath is to protect the developing buds. Removing it may cost you blooms. I have removed
what I thought was as an old dried sheath to find new buds just forming, but they did not survive my foolishness.
Dividing:
Many Cattleyas, when divided, will bloom the following cycle from
the front division as long as there are 4 pseudobulbs. A back division will usually take two cycles to bloom. This
means a front division may bloom in about a year, while a back division will take two years.
Moving cattleyas:
When buying cattleyas, I have found that a lot of them need a growth
cycle to adjust to my growing conditions. Since I hard grow my plants, they need the time to acclimate to their
new environment. Do not worry too much if you purchased an orchid plant last year and it has not yet bloomed. Give
an orchid at least two years before you decide that it is a problem bloomer.
Please feel free to email me with your questions.
Best Regards,
Jim orchids@jporchids.com