Dear Orchid Doc:

I’ve noticed that not much is asked or shared about the Cattleya orchid.

I have a few of them. Is there anything you can tell me to help with their growth, and to get them to bloom more often?

Charmaine

Dear Charmaine,

Cattleya orchids need about 50 per cent of the sunlight at its brightest.

Their colour should not be very green. When that happens they are not getting enough sunlight.

Cattleya orchids grow best if allowed to dry fully between watering.

They love tree fern bark. If you grow them on the slab they will dry out much faster.

Re-pot them when they have overgrown the pot, or if the medium has become too mushy or sour.

Use fertiliser with a high nitrogen content (first number on the fertiliser 30-10 -20). Use 1tsp to 1 gallon of water.

Cattleya orchids don’t bloom as often as sun Vandas, which bloom non-stop, so stop worrying.

If I am not mistaken they bloom once per year, but there are hybrids which are changing that.

Dear Orchid Doc:

Do I have to spray even in this temperature?

The orchids seem to be loving this cool weather.

Kay

Dear Kay:

Yes, this is the weather I call ” Mandeville-type” weather. Orchids love it, but you are having lots of rain so you will still need to use a fungicide at least once every two weeks. If the rain is excessive, then once per week.