I love cattleya
 

I love these beautiful plants. Its almost seems like they or more than
just an ordinary flower or plant. Orchids seem so sophisticated and
and high class for me. The guilt level is always raised when when
caring for one of these amazon creatures. The Cattleya holds an allure
like no other with its big, robust and absolutely geourgous bloom. The
color combinations are endless and each a little unique. The beauty is
stunning and elegant. The Cattleya also emits one the most beautiful
fragrance of the night. Natures own CHANNEL. haha. Eccept CHANNEL
doesn't have anything on nature. Cattleyas have earned the reputation
as the "Queen of Orchids" and are known to the public as the ultimate
in floral corsages. I find that according to the experts the ideal
environment is suggested as

Temperatu The ideal day temperature is 75-85 degrees F., while the
ideal night temperature is 60-65 degrees F. Occasional temperature
extremes are tolerated if exposure is not prolonged.

Light: Cattleyas and their relatives require a good amount of light.
They enjoy full sun in the morning, but will require shading from
about 11am-3pm; less shading will be necessary in the late afternoon.
Their leaves should be a light green color, and a darker green color
indicates too little sun.

Water: Basically, cattleyas grow best when their potting medium
becomes dry in between waterings. These plants are epiphytes in
nature, (i.e. growing on top of trees) and are used to drying out
between the rains of their natural habitat.

Repot: Cattleyas should not be repotted unless the plant have outgrown
the pot (every 2 or 3 years) or when the potting medium begins to
deteriorate. Or when the mixture become sour, does not drain rapidly
and is invaded by snow mold or shows green mold on the surface. A
coarse medium such as medium-grade Fir-bark, or coarse-grade Fir-bark
will work well.

Feeding: High-nitrogen fertilizers (25-9-9) can be used year-round at
one teaspoon per gallon of water. Feed once a month.

Cutting Dead Flower Spike: When the last flower drops, cut your flower
spike all the way down the stem. Apply a pinch of cinnamon powder or
melted candle to seal the wound. Continue caring for it and wait for a
possible rebloom.

I've got a blog about my experiences with orchids and hope that by
reading it, others will gain some appreciation for the best and most
beautiful flowers in the world. Check it out at http://iwouldturn2me.blogspot.com/