How to Grow Cattleya Orchids? Growing Methods and Points to Note

Cattleya is a standout among orchid varieties and is extremely beautiful. It likes warm environments and has fairly strong adaptability; as long as it has suitable temperature and soil, it can survive. So how exactly should beautiful Cattleya orchids be grown, and what needs to be noted when growing them? Let's take a look below.

How to Grow Cattleya Orchids

First, select ripe fruit, then place the fruit into a 0.1% mercuric chloride solution and soak for 20 minutes, then rinse 4 or 5 times with sterile water before cutting the fruit open. Inoculate the white powdery seeds into a seed germination liquid medium for culture. After one week the embryo germinates, and after 20 days a green protocorm 1-2 mm in diameter forms. Next, use a pipette to inoculate the formed protocorm onto a seedling culture medium for culture. After one month, a complete small plantlet can form. Continue culturing for 45 days and it can grow into a robust large seedling. Finally, when the test-tube plantlet can grow to 3 or 4 cm tall, transfer it to natural light for hardening off for 1-2 weeks, and then it can be planted.

Cattleya Growing Methods and Points to Note

I. Growing Methods

1. Temperature

The suitable growing temperature for Cattleya is 20-30°C. By March of the following year, change it to 12-24°C. During the day, 25-30°C is suitable, and at midnight it is best at 15-20°C. A daily difference of 5-10°C is best. In order to prevent it from entering a semi-dormant state, the temperature in the greenhouse should be kept above 10°C in winter.

2. Light

Cattleya is suitable for growing in a semi-shaded environment. If the light is too strong, the pseudobulbs are easily scorched, inducing other diseases. In seasons other than winter, 50-60% shading should be used.

3. Water

Cattleya requires relatively high air humidity. During the growing season, water must be sufficient, but it should not be overwatered. Especially in winter, when the plant is in a semi-dormant state, watering must be controlled. Otherwise, it easily leads to root rot and death.

4. Fertilizer

Cattleya requires relatively little fertilizer, and the fertilizer used needs to be fully decomposed. When the temperature exceeds 32°C or is below 15°C, fertilization should be stopped. During its flowering period and dormancy period, fertilization should also be stopped to avoid damaging the roots and stems.

II. Points to Note in Growing

1. When growing Cattleya, do not randomly change the direction of the flowerpot. If its direction is constantly changed, due to phototropism, the fleshy leaf stalks may shrink. If the leaves become twisted and yellow, flowering will be affected.

2. Prevention and control of pests: common pests include scale insects, whiteflies, bagworms, and slugs.

What to Do If Cattleya Leaves Turn Yellow

1. Water yellowing: caused by excessive watering, leading to long-term water accumulation and dampness in the soil, relatively poor aeration, and even part of the fibrous roots becoming badly rotted. At this time, watering should be reduced and done reasonably according to need.

2. Fertilizer yellowing: usually refers to excessive fertilization, shown as old leaf tips turning yellow and falling off. Although new leaves are relatively thick and look glossy, they generally appear uneven and not stretched out. If it is a valuable flower, you can scatter a layer of bok choy or radish seeds, then pull them out after they sprout for a few days, so as to consume nutrients.

3. Drought yellowing: due to long-term failure to water thoroughly or dehydration, although the leaf color of new leaves is relatively normal, the lower leaves gradually dry and yellow from bottom to top, fall off, and become aged.

4. Alkaline yellowing: this mainly occurs in some southern areas in acid-loving soil, while in the north the water quality is more alkaline, causing leaves to gradually fade, turn yellow, and even fall off. The simplest solution is to water with fermented rice-washing water or rainwater.

How to Prune Cattleya

1. Every time you prune, disinfect the scissors used for pruning, let them dry in a cool place, and then prune.

2. Cattleya generally has relatively many flowers, but they do not bloom at the same time. When some flowers are blooming, some have already withered or turned brown, so these withered flowers should be cut off in time to avoid affecting flowering.

3. If you want it to bloom well again the next year, it is best to cut the inflorescence axis from the base. When the substrate ages, it should be replaced in time. It is best to repot in May or June when new leaves grow. It is best to wrap another layer of sphagnum moss around the original sphagnum moss area and then place it in a slightly larger flowerpot.

Although Cattleya orchids are beautiful, if you are not careful during the planting process, problems such as yellow leaves and pests are likely to occur. In response to these situations, the editor has also introduced the corresponding solutions one by one. Everyone can do a good job of prevention in advance. In addition, if you want Cattleya orchids to grow better, timely pruning is quite necessary.