I got the orchids from the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate where most all of
their Cattleyas are bare root. They had them in small plastic pots and the
roots went through holes in the bottom of the pot and over the sides. They
then had this pot in a larger pot and the roots were now growing into that.
As the plant and roots grew, they kept moving the entire thing into bigger
and bigger pots.

This is they way that they were growing the Cattleyas. (Phals and
Cymbidiums were potted with media). The plants are stabilized. In fact, I
attended a class in potting put on by SBOE and the smallest of cats were at
first tied into the pots until their roots could form against the sides and
in holes through the bottom.

Your comment about watering often, like in the wild, makes sense. I live in
S. Cal

Thanks for the comments.

Vito


"tenman" wrote in message
...
Uncle_vito wrote:
I have some cattleyas that are basically potted in air (the plants are
in a pot and the roots are bare with no media). How do you water these?
Do you soak the roots for a few minutes or do you just spash the roots
with water?

I have been soaking the roots for a few minutes when I have time, other
times I pour water over them and it immediately drains out.

Thanks for all replies

Uncle Vito
What is commonly missed is that these plants neeed a good deal of water.
They don't like to stay wet, but they still need the water. Your 'potting'
situation is ideal IF you have the plants stabilized so there is no
movement to harm the new growing roots. And the best watering regimen for
them is several times a day for an extended period of time. In their
natural habitats, when they get water they receive it over a prolonged
period of time, that is, it rains for several hours or the heavy mists in
the AM last for hours. What media do in a pot normally is provide a chance
for the plant to absorb water for a while as the medium stays wet.So,
bareroot in a pot, have a mister on them three or four times a day for
5-10 minutes at a time.It's labor intensive, but then you have chosen to
go without medium, which requires you to more closely mimic their natural
environment without the baffer of a medium.