Orchid grower and hybridizer Tom Harper discusses the basics of caring for orchids.
Cattleyas (figure A) are sturdy plants with tough, leathery foliage and delicate blooms. Cattleyas are sun-loving orchids and should be placed in a western or southern exposure. They should be potted in fir bark and kept where the temperature is between 55 and 60 degrees at night and 15 degrees warmer in the daytime. Allow them to dry out between waterings. This may mean copious water in the summer and barely any during winter.
Purchase orchids when the buds are just beginning to open so you can enjoy the blooms for a long time. Provide plenty of humidity by keeping the plants on saucers filled with gravel that is kept wet.
At transplanting time, purchase a potting mix formulated especially for orchids and made of peat moss and perlite. Remove the plant gently from the old pot. Sterilize your shears with a match or a butane lighter, then remove the flower stem near the base of the plant. Examine the roots (figure B) for any signs of disease. Cut injured roots away with the sterilized shears.
Shake excess soil from the roots, and position the plant in the new pot so that the leaves are just at the top of the pot. Add fresh potting mix, and work it between the roots. Water with tepid water after transplanting.
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