Hey everyone, I’m new here. I just bought my first Cattleya orchid yesterday at Lowe’s. This is how her roots are looking. The leaves themselves are green and sturdy. I want to give this one the best chance so I wanted to know any of your guy’s tips on watering.
Cattleyas more so than other orchids like to dry out between waterings. The canes of a hydrated plant will be smooth. Don’t worry if the pseudobulbs get a little wrinkled between waterings. Mine do it between waterings but smooth back out pretty quickly after watering. Watering is straightforward. When the media is dry, I soak the pot for 10-15 minutes. Each time I water, I use fertilizer at 1/4 strength (when I’m active growth). Wait until the media dries out before watering again. For my setup, that works out to roughly once a week. Once a month flush with pure water to reduce salt buildup (this is especially important if you are using synthetic fertilizer or have hard water). Light is the real key to flowering. They want a lot of light but no direct sunlight. Mine under grow lights that stay on for 12 hours. If you’re using sunlight, an east window would be ideal, but near a south window or a west with absolutely no direct sun should be fine. I find repotting is the real trick with Cattleyas. Their roots are super sensitive and will die back when disturbed so timing is everything. You’ll want to repot Unifoliates right after roots start popping out in the spring, and Bifoliates right before roots develop. (FYI Bifoliates are much less forgiving of the two) Other than timing, the process is the same as other orchids. Start by giving the media a good soak as it makes things easier and the roots are a little more flexible when wet. Take the orchid out of the pot and gently remove the media from the roots. You might use a probe to help tease bits away from the roots. Get as much as you possibly can, but it’s fine if you have to leave a little so you don’t damage the roots. Examine the roots for health and pests. Trim off any dead or dying roots. Dead roots are papery or mushy, black or brown, or thin filaments. Healthy roots are firm and white. Just like phals they turn green when wet. I find orchid pots with additional ventilation a must. They are typically clear so you can monitor root development, and have ventilation holes on the sides of the pot. If you don’t have one, you can add holes to a growers pot or any other plastic pot you have on hand. Size the pot so that the roots just fit in the pot. Cattleya roots are fat so the media should be sized accordingly. Media should be course with no fines so roots can get good airflow. The orchid bark typically available at your local box store will work as long as it does not contain peat. Think bark, charcoal, pumice, perlite, lava and leca. You can also fine some specialty orchid blends online (RePotMe is good but expensive). Gently work the media around the roots. I use an old chopstick for the job. The goal is to firmly seat the plant in the pot without packing the media. Don’t be afraid to experiment. What works for me and my growing conditions may not be the right fit for you. The best tip for orchids, regardless of type, is learn. Read up on their care if you are so inclined. There are several channels on YouTube with information on orchid care, like Miss Orchid Girl, Here.. but Not, Hello Plant Lovers and Growing Orchids With Roger. Podcasts like Plant Daddy and On the Ledge are useful. The American Orchid Society is another handy resource. I especially like their monthly to do lists. If you really want to dive into the rabbit hole, you can look for orchid societies in your area; nothing can replace interacting directly with growers that have been doing it for years.
3 Likes Thank you!! I am going to do all of those things. I appreciate the guidance 🙏🏼
2 Likes By the way, based on the photo it looks like yours is a unifoliate. Good luck!
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