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Old 22-11-2007, 11:41 PM posted to rec.gardens.orchids
Manelli Family[_3_] Manelli Family[_3_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jun 2007
Posts: 189
Default Den and Cattleya growing medium and water


"BruceM" wrote in message
...
In your personal experience, what is a good medium for Dendrobiums and
Cattleya's?

I have several new ones and a few older ones. The older ones were
repotted in Better Gro Phalaeonopsis mix, a general purpose mix of Fir
bark (about the size of a quaerter), hardwood charcoal, and a bark like
peat material . BG had several other mixes for orchids, the big difference
being no Peat in the others and one had a smaller bark chunks.


The cats seemt to do okay in it. They grow, new shoots, Several Kekei's ,
no flowers on any of the older ones (on one sI have had 1.5 years ). The
dendroibiums appear to hate it. Most of them sit there, a couple have new
growth. The Phal's go crazy in it. Looking at the books, it seems this
should be a okay mix, but experience is always better.

Also, for watering: In general do Cat's and Den's like more water than
Phal's? I water them on the same schedule, and some are oky, other show
signs of needing more water such as wrinkled new growth, shriveled
pseudobulbs, etc


Wrinkled growth is from desiccation. Make sure the DUNK their pots in water
up the rim until all the medium is wet. Trying to water some of the coarser
mediums is difficult as the water runs right through it. The roots get
nothing. The leaves and bulbs shrivel.