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EEOS Original Articles |
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The many articles in our Orchid Culture section can solve most of your culture issues. Check them out before submitting a question. |
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AOS Culture Sheets |
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The AOS Culture Sheets are very thorough guides for growing orchids successfully. Read the one pertaining to your kind of orchid before asking a culture question. |
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Ask Your Own Question |
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If the articles and culture sheets in our Orchid Culture section did not solve your problem, feel free to submit your own orchid culture question. |
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(Posted on October 1, 2003) |
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Question |
| I have recently received a Ctna. Red Bliss 'Aileen' from a friend. I am unsure of Ctna. culture and have not found much info on the web. Can you give me info on light and watering requirements? Should they dry between waterings and so they need a diurnal temperature differential? Thanking you in advance. |
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Ron Rayher - Charlton, NY - USA |
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Answer |
| Ron, cattleya culture should work fine with your plant. Check the Orchid Culture section of our web site for more detailed information. Thanks for the questiona and for visiting the EEOS web site. |
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Bob Stipe |
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Answer |
| You can grow Cattleytonias just like Cattleyas. They can take the same amount of light as a Cattleya (50% - 60% shade) and be watered twice a week, drying out between waterings. Make sure they receive good air movement. |
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David Schaffter |
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(Posted on April 27, 2003) |
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Question |
| I have several Cattleyas. Blooming goes from zero to very poor. I have tried everything, but nothing seem to work. My plants are healthy, plenty of foliage and nice roots, but no flowers. My Cattleyas are in clay pots with 50/50 aliflor/osmunda; they get about 2 hours of direct sun from the East (8:00 - 10:00 a.m.) and receive water 3 times/week. I grow under the shadow of big black olive trees in my backyard, so the plants get lots of filtered light. I fertilize with 20-20-20 (1 tsp/gal) once a week and bloom booster (same rate) once a month from spring to fall. Two months ago I started using Superthrive once a month and I have good new shoots. My Dendrobiums (species and hybrids) are next to the Cattleyas and bloom regularly. Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong? |
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Tony Castineiras - Miami, FL - USA |
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Answer |
| Tony, you might try cutting back on your fertilizing to every other week. Also look at the color of the leaves. Are they a dark green color or a lighter shade? Dark green foliage is an indication of a low light condition. Black olive trees are pretty dense & your catts may not be getting enough light. You might want to check out our Orchid Culture section. Thanks for the question and for visiting the EEOS web site. |
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Bob Stipe |
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Answer |
| You can try to cut back on the water to only twice a week and try to give them a little more sun throughout the day. Black olive trees have a dense foliage & you may be too shady. Sometimes people have problem orchids that refuse to bloom. If you can mildly stress them, by cutting back on water & give them higher light, you might be able to get them to bloom. |
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David Schaffter |
| I have like about 13 cattleyas and I want them to bloom. This is the fertilizer technique I use: the first week I give them the bloom booster, the second week I give them 20-20-20, the third week I give them the 20-20-20 again, and then I do the bloom booster again. And I water them once a week. Can you give me your suggestion? |
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Alexander Bello - Miami, FL - USA |
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Answer |
| Alexander, since you're fertilizing every week, you probably have good foliage, but I don't believe your cattleyas really need that much fertilizer to bloom. Try cutting down to twice a month. You didn't mention anything about light. Are they getting enough? Have they bloomed for you before? Also check with other people who have the same cattleyas as you do & see when theirs bloom. Cattleyas don't necessarily bloom year round. Thanks for the question and for visiting the EEOS web site. |
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Bob Stipe |
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Answer |
| Check out our Cattleya article in the Orchid Culture section of our website. First of all, Cattleyas are only going to bloom once a year, maybe twice, depending on the hybrid. They also are going to bloom around the same time of the year, like spring, fall, etc. You only need to fertilize cattleyas at the most, every other week during the summer, and only once a month during the winter months. If you fertilize more often, you risk killing the roots of your orchid. Again, check out our website and check out a local orchid society for tips and suggestions on orchid care. |
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David Schaffter |
| I have recently began to pot my catts in aliflor only. some are doing very well and others are not. I have a feeling I'm not watering often enough. has anyone had any experience potting in aliflor? |
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Fred - Verplanck, NY - USA |
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Answer |
| I use aliflor for my cats and some others, but I mix a little tree fern & redwood bark along with it. Most of the orchids do quite fine, but every now & then there seems to be a problem plant that doesn't want to cooperate. If that's the case, try a different mixture, a little more water, or even a plastic pot. With this mixture I water twice a week. Remember, cattleyas like to dry out between watering. |
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David Schaffter |
| Over 2 years ago I bought a blooming size Blc. Chian Tze Emperor X CT Golden Sun. It won't flower. It grew so large, I divided it in 3, placing each one in a different light and medium. Still no spikes. What is it's blooming month & what else can I do? Thanks. |
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Eleanor - Miami, FL - USA |
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Answer |
| Dear Eleanor: You might go back to the vendor and ask them. If the plant came from a grower up north, then they may be growing it under intermediate conditions. Some cattleyas have a tough time down here in the summer, as it is too hot for them. Also, try slightly stressing the plant for a while. You can do this by watering sparingly, give it more shade, withhold fertilizer for an extended period of time, and/or keep cooler in the winter. At the start of spring or warmer weather, fertilize with a bloom booster. There are many different things you can do to encourage blooms. First, go back to the vendor and ask them their growing conditions and what time of year it blooms. |
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David Schaffter |
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