A Detailed Explanation of the Latest Key Points on Cattleya Cultivation and Management

This article introduces the key points of Cattleya cultivation, including pre-planting preparation, repotting, watering, fertilizing, staking, and other technical points.

1. Pre-planting preparation

To cultivate Cattleya well, you first need a suitable site and excellent environmental conditions, and it must not be close to industrial and mining areas with air pollution or to places with many high-rise buildings that have poor ventilation and strong radiant heat. Because Cattleya is an epiphytic orchid, it is not suitable for growing on muddy ground or concrete floors. It needs a bench or hanging rack to prevent the pots from tipping over, as well as an indoor environment where the winter temperature does not fall below 12°C.

For the preparation of potting medium, Cattleya has thick pseudobulbs and leaves and vigorous aerial roots, so it usually requires a well-drained, loose and airy growing medium. Commonly used materials include sphagnum moss, fern roots (commonly the roots of the fern Osmunda japonica), bark granules (commonly American redwood bark, longan bark in Taiwan, China, and oak bark in the mainland), broken bricks, zeolite, coconut husk, and so on. These potting media must be soaked thoroughly with water before use.

For the preparation of planting containers, Cattleya can be cultivated in two ways: pot culture and hanging basket culture. Pot containers must be water-permeable and airy; commonly used types include porous clay pots, plastic pots, glazed-rim ceramic pots, wooden frames, metal frames, and so on. Hanging baskets also require sturdy plastic and wire hooks.

2. Repotting

This is generally done in combination with division propagation. Take the orchid plant out of the pot, remove the growing medium sticking to the aerial roots, separate the pseudobulbs, expose the root system, and prune broken roots and rotten roots. If the orchid plant is growing too vigorously, part of the roots at the bottom can be cut off. Each clump should have at least 3 pseudobulbs and carry new shoots. If divided too small, it will affect the recovery growth and flowering of the new plants.

When planting, first fill the bottom of the pot with larger pieces of charcoal or broken brick to aid drainage, then add a thin layer of growing medium, place the Cattleya roots evenly and spread them out, and then fill in growing medium around them, pressing firmly to settle the plant. Planting should not be too deep, otherwise it will affect flowering of the orchid plant. Note that the new shoots must face the rim of the pot, and space should be left for 2 to 3 years of growth.

Place newly planted Cattleya in a semi-shaded, humid place for 2 to 3 weeks, and spray a small amount of water on the leaves every day to keep the leaves and pseudobulbs from shrinking. Do not water the roots or fertilize until new roots grow 2 to 3 cm, at which point watering can begin.

3. Watering

Spring and autumn are the growing seasons for Cattleya, requiring sufficient water and relatively high air humidity. However, watering should wait until the medium in the pot becomes dry, and should be done in the morning or evening on sunny days, slowly, so that the medium at the bottom of the pot absorbs water thoroughly. If the humidity in the pot is always too high or water accumulates, it will cause root diseases.

When not watering normally, a little water should be sprayed on the orchid plant in the morning, and likewise not too much. In summer, during the period of vigorous growth of Cattleya, water thoroughly once every 2 to 3 days, and also sprinkle water on the ground and spray the leaves to increase air humidity. Watering in the evening is preferable.

In winter, Cattleya almost stops growing and is in a dormant state, but the leaves of the orchid plant should still be misted frequently. If the inside of the pot is too dry, then choose a sunny morning to water a little so that the growing medium is moist from top to bottom. Also note that the water temperature must not be too low, otherwise it will harm the orchid plant and cause water-soaked rotten patches. When watering in winter, never leave standing water in the leaf axils or on the leaf surface, otherwise it can easily lead to rot in the heart or leaves. After watering, the standing water on the leaf surface and in the leaf axils can be absorbed with paper.

4. Fertilizing

Although the aerial roots of Cattleya can absorb nitrogen from the air and synthesize nitrogen usable by the orchid plant, reasonable fertilization can make seedlings grow faster, make the orchid plant stronger, and make flower colors more brilliant. However, improper fertilization, especially excessive fertilization, is harmful rather than beneficial; in mild cases the plant is damaged and roots rot, and in severe cases it withers and dies. Therefore, in the process of cultivating Cattleya, mastering scientific fertilization methods is very necessary.

5. Staking

In large-scale production, Cattleya is often placed on benches or grown hanging. For bench cultivation, the planting bench should have a bottom groove slightly larger than the base of the orchid pot, so that the potted orchid can be placed and fixed and is not easy to tip over. When the orchid leaves grow tall and flower stems are emerging, special orchid stakes should be inserted, and overly spreading orchid plants should be arranged into an upright form with ties, but care must be taken not to break the flower stems.

The length of the stake should generally be about the same height as the pseudobulbs, so that it can both prevent the orchid plant from falling over and create a graceful shape. For Cattleya grown hanging, besides hanging the pot firmly in midair, the pots should not be hung too densely, to prevent the leaves from colliding and injuring the orchid plant when the wind blows. When the pseudobulbs stand upright, tie them to the stake at the base of the leaves with ties, and bend the tip of the stake so that it is close to the sheath leaves, for tying the flower stem later.