SHOP PRODUCTS
Houzz Logo Print
pumpkineater2

Some questions about this orchid

pumpkineater2
9 years ago

I have a few questions I'd like to ask about this orchid that I have.

A little info about the plant:
It is a sophrolaeliocattleya hybrid that I ordered from logee's a few months ago, and it hasn't seemed very happy since I got it. It's in a north window that doesn't get any direct sunlight at this time of year,(which I'm sure is part of its problem) though it does during the middle of summer in the mornings and late afternoon.

It was in a small pot planted in normal looking orchid bark medium. When I unpotted it this afternoon, I found that along with the bark, there were 6 styrofoam packing peanuts among the chunks of bark. (I don't know why those would be in there.)

The plant hasn't really grown much, except for a single shoot of leaves from the base of the biggest psuedobulb. I think that part of the reason it won't grow is that the medium will not stay moist long enough.

When I water, I saturate the pot completely and let it sit in water for 15-20 minutes, then I let it drain, but after about 1-2 days, the medium is always bone dry again. When I unpotted it, a lot of the roots were dead and dry; there were very few healthy roots. A few of the smaller psuedobulbs had absolutetly no living roots on them, and they came off very easily, so I discarded those.

I don't fertilize it, though I probably should.

Now for the questions:
1) What kind of medium would you suggest I plant it in? I've got plenty of coconut chips on hand that I use for my 2 phals and they love it
2)What kind of fertilizer do you recommend that I use for it, and how strong/ often?
3)How much direct sun does it need to thrive?

Any information is appreciated

Thanks! :)

Comments (12)

Sponsored
Wannemacher Interiors
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars26 Reviews
Customized Award-Winning Interior Design Solutions in Columbus, OH