Cattleya orchids (Cattleya labiata) are widespread in tropical and subtropical forests. They are also found in Costa Rica, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Guyana and Bolivia. These can nowexotic flowersalso move into your living room, no matter where you live. A Cattleya orchid is not that difficult to care for and can withstand a lot, but you have to know what you are doing. Here is the most important information about sun/shade preferences, temperature, air circulation, watering, moisture, potting soil and fertilization.
The Sun/Shade Preferences of the Cattleya Orchid
Cattleyas prefer sun in the early morning or later hours of the day. An east-facing window with morning sun is best, but if that's not possible, a south-facing window is also perfect. In this case, you should make sure that the orchid does not get too much direct sun.
In general, Cattleya orchids prefer a brighter location than thatPhalaenopsis (Schmetterlingsorchidee). If you have both species, you should place the Cattleya closer to the light than the Phalaenopsis, which prefers more shade.
You can tell whether the lighting conditions are right by the light green color of the leaves. If they are dark green, almost spinach green, then the orchid is not getting enough light. If she gets too much light, they willLeaves yellowish-greenand black to red-purple spots appear.
Best temperature for the Cattleya orchid
The Cattleya orchid lives in the tropics and subtropics. So in a warm location. In the rainforest, daytime temperatures fluctuate between 25 and 30 °C all year round. However, this is a bit too uncomfortable for a living room or office, especially in summer.
At night Cattleyas prefer lower temperatures of 10-12 °C. The drop in temperature stimulates the flower buds. During the summer, keep the Cattleya orchid near a slightly open window where the cooler night air will do wonders for your orchid.
Air movement
Another option would be to move the Cattleya orchids outside (weather permitting). In most states this is possible from late May to early October. In addition to the drop in temperature, the cattleyas also like the movement of the wind the most. Air circulation prevents water droplets from settling on the leaves and crown of the orchid, thereby preventing problems with fungi and bacteria.
The Cattleya's Moisture Preferences
Cattleya orchids live in a humid environment with humidity between 40 and 70%. In an average German household, the humidity is around 40%. If you use a humidifier, you can also feel comfortable with up to 55%. Above this percentage there is a risk thatMold on drywallforms and a respiratory infection occurs.
Water Cattleya Orchid properly
In general, no orchid likes water in the root crown, where the water can settle on the leaves. This will lead to mold growth and soon your orchid will rot. This also applies to the roots: Don't water too much and give your orchid time to dry out well.
A good way to determine if your orchid needs watering is to test the potting soil with your finger. If it is damp, do not water. If in doubt, do not water. If it is completely dry and you don't feel any moisture, you should water. You can use distilled water, rainwater or regular tap water.
For beginners, you should start with a break of 5 days between waterings, but only check the humidity from day 3. Larger orchids like a week's break between waterings; Younger orchids prefer to be watered twice a week. For smaller pots and miniature orchids the time is significantly shorter, around 3 days. Larger pots take longer to dry out.
How quickly the orchid soil dries out depends on the following factors:
Temperature – higher temperatures speed up drying time
Air movement – stagnant air promotes moisture, which can lead to root rot
Light – direct sunlight causes the pot to dry out more quickly
Growth/resting periods – during the resting periods the orchid absorbs less water
Calendar – water less in winter
As you can see, there are too many factors to successfully determine whether watering once a week is right for your orchid.
The potting substrate determines how often you should water your orchid. The more sphagnum moss and charcoal in the substrate, the longer the moisture will remain in the pot. This is especially good for smaller, younger cattleya orchids, but the older they get, the less moss you'll need to use.
Which soil is best suited for Cattleya?
When choosing potting soil, you need to pay attention to two things.
1) It must ensure sufficient air circulation. The roots must not be restricted by packing the substrate so tightly that air can no longer circulate freely.
2) The water should be able to drain away quickly.
To meet this condition, pine bark, tree fern fibers, or larger clay pebbles are a good addition to your orchid substrate.
Potting and repotting
As for the type of pot, many orchid lovers claim that their Cattleyas prefer clay pots to plastic pots. For now, stick with a plastic pot with lots of slots or holes. In two years, when it's time to repot the Cattleya, you can use a clay pot.
If you repot the Cattleya into a clay pot, you will most likely need to break the pot open. This is better than trying to pull them out of the pot with a wedge, which will tear and damage the roots. The Cattleya slides out more easily in a plastic pot.
Choose a pot in which theexotic plantCan grow for 2-3 years. To estimate this, add the space required by three pseudobulbs to the plant and choose a pot of that size. Cattleyas typically grow 1 or 2 pseudobulbs per year.
If you have a larger Cattleya orchid and want to divide it, select a section with three or four pseudobulbs. A rhizome with only two pseudobulbs does not have enough energy for adequate growth and will likely die after division.
Wait,until all flowers have fallen off. For most cattleya orchids, this happens in late spring. After the flowering period, the rest cycle begins.
Do not water the Cattleya for a week after repotting. If you have moistened the potting soil well before repotting, this will be sufficient for water supply. In addition, the risk of infection is greatly increased at this stage. Water makes it worse.
Another tip: Always use sterilized utensils for each individual orchid. You can use alcohol, a flame, or another commonly known method of sterilization. You can also apply some cinnamon to the open “wound”.
Cattleya dugen
Choose a fertilizer that has a low concentration and abalanced NPK ratiohas, for example 10-10-10 or 13-13-13. Always dilute the fertilizer to a quarter of the amount recommended in the instructions. Some orchid lovers fertilize once a week or every other week at an extremely low dose. Too much fertilizer causes root burns and promotes salt deposition on the potting substrate.
What time of year do Cattleya orchids bloom?
Most Cattleya orchids bloom only once a year, usually towards the end of summer or late winter. If you want to plant two orchids in one pot, this is good to know because you can plant two varieties with different flowering times together. While one is blooming, the other is preparing to form buds.
How long do Cattleya flowers last?One to three weeks. Although Cattleyas grow slowly—five to seven years from seed to full-grown specimen—their flowers are worth the wait.
