proud new Catt owner needs advice

[johnblagg]

Hello all
I have been lurking and learning but now need some direct advice please.
I have been growing phals and dendrobium for many years and lucky me have the fortune to have a spot they love inside in the winter and outside in summer .Having such good fortune I have decided to go for some cattleyas this year. I was on a small vaction trip to North carolina and discovered a nice orchid grower in Hickory nc (just google hickory nc orchids to find Ironwood estates) and purchased Dixie hummingbird ,lemon chiffon, and mac holms newberry.
I took them home to my cousins and put them on the porch nice bright light no full sun. the lemon chiffon was a nice plant nothing huge all three are a year maybe two from bloom size and in 2 1/2 maybe 3 inch clear pots.
well while out yesterday a big rain with wind managed to take the lemon chiffon right out of the pot and on the floor no real damage to the top but Im sure some to the roots.She is in active growth but the psudobulb isnt filled in yet and the four of five older pb behig this are shriveled .
Ok enough ramble my question is would it be ok to mount this one now or should I repot her and mount next year?

[orchidbingo]

Hi John,

Welcome to OB although I know you've been around for awhile.

My worth is that you should just repot-- of course I've never tried Catts on mounts. Even when growing chids outdoors in the Philippines I kept my Catts in pots.
My only experience with mounts is with vandaceous chids, phals and dendros.

I'm sure someone who knows more will comment soon.

Good luck.

bingo

[dounoharm]

hi and welcome to the board! i am sure if you really want to mount it, that now would be a good time...since it is already out of the pot and in growth mode with new roots....i grow all my catts in pots so i am not too awfully familiar with mounts...gl and enjoy the catts, they are very worthwile plants!

[tuvoc]

I agree, repot it. Mounted plants are fun, but they need a lot more attention than a potted one, especially if you're fairly new to growing these guys. Good luck, and welcome aboard.

Kim

[Virgil]

Since these are your first catts, I would repot. I would wait to mount a division to learn on. all of my hybrids catts are potted except for the divisions.

[johnblagg]

Whoot new roots.I went to lowes and bought some fir bark and wooden slat type baskets for them and repotted them.The Goldenzell "Lemon Chiffon" has popped a couple of new roots since then but I have to admit I am cheating a bit and did experiment just a bit and used some high powered Iba on it ".8%" that I had bought when I was manager at a local nursey a couple of years ago.The Mac Holmes "newberry" and the Mary Ellen Carter "Dixie Hummingbird I left alone other than repotting and they are extending their roots well.The Dixie humming bird gave me a suprize in that it was actually two seperate seedlings in the same pot WHOOT WHOOT there.The goldenzell got the iba because it had almost no good roots when I took it out of the old medium and the pudobulbs while not looking limp are pleated looking and it is a nice size plant for a $25 nbs with several pbs with leaves 4 to 5 inches long so I decided it would be ok to treat this way.
What is your opinion on Iba to promote better roots on a plant like this ??????

[johnblagg]

The mac Holmes "newberry" had a new pb starting when purchased that has grown at least two inches now and the new leaf has extended over a inch out of the sheath and the lower sheath is showing new green areas where it is enlongating also.I have been sitting all three outside in full sun untill 10 or 10:30 every morning and then place them on the top of a 2 1/2 foot tall brick wall in very bright shade ...I spray the brick down with the hose first for humidity and then again about 2 pm.They get full sun again about 6:30 or 7 pm
Dixie Hummingbird has two eyes that look like they may commence actively growing also.