Episode 114 - Cattleya : Some Observations

1. Planting Materials: Local flower farmers like to use charcoal, wood and rocks as planting materials for the Orchids. Orchids do not like normal soil and need to be planted in materials which are moisture but non-sticky, leaving rooms for the roots to breath. Charcoal, wood and rocks give the roots enough fresh air. However, these material easily turn dry. The flower farmers therefore water their orchids quite often, using automatic sprayer. As an amateur, I find these planting materials not satisfactory, as I can only water my plants in the morning and in the evening. I replaced all these materials with moss only. My orchids are obviously happy with the moss.

2. Water: The gardening knowledge of the local orchid sellers are not always reliable. Many sellers advised me not to water the orchids at home - "Leave the orchids dry. Water them thoroughly once a week is enough," said the orchid sellers. I once followed this method and became the killer of many poor orchids. I eventually discover that cattleyas are happy with water so long as you are using the correct planting materials. I spray the orchids in the morning and in the evening until the moss is wet. In addition, I put the whole pot into water occasionally for full absortion of water.

3. Sunshine: Cattleyas do not like direct sunshine, I only expose them to sunlight for about an hour occasionally .

4. Air-conditioning: Cattleyas do not like the cool air transmitted from air-conditioners. The orchids are happy with fresh air, however.

5. Fertilizer: I use solid orchid fertilizer. I once used diluted liquid fertilizer but found that some of the orchids do not like it . It is easy to burn the leaves of the orchids if liquid fertilizer is not used appropriately.

6. Flowers: Cut out the flowers as soon as their petals become thin. The flowers take away most of the reserve of the orchid. If you do not cut out the flowers and let it dry up normally in the plant, the orchid will need a longer period of time to recover - it may not be able to bear flowers in the next year.