paph and catt potting media

[SlipperGirl]

Hi

What are some good potting media for catts and paphs.

[Brooke]

Use a more moisture retentive mix for the Paph and an airy open mix for the Catt. The Paph needs moisture all the time and the Catt wants to dry out.

Brooke

[SlipperGirl]

Originally Posted by brooke

Use a more moisture retentive mix for the Paph and an airy open mix for the Catt. The Paph needs moisture all the time and the Catt wants to dry out.

Brooke

Thanks but I was looking more for like where I could buy some or some good mixes I could make

[Ordphien]

I think it depends on what medium works well in your area..
For me my paphs like a very simple mix of 2 parts orchid bark to one part sphagnum moss.
My catt is in bark.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[tucker85]

Catts need to dry quickly and get air to the roots and paphs need to stay moist. Your mix will depend on the micro-environment that you grow in. The pot is important too. I use plastic pots with a coconut husk chip mix for paphs. For catts I use clay orchid pots with large media, mostly rock in my case but probably large bark for you folks up north. For one stop shopping for mixes and medium, Repotme.com is your best bet.

[SJF]

Originally Posted by mothorchidgirl

Thanks but I was looking more for like where I could buy some or some good mixes I could make

First Rays has the best prices. Your wallet would appreciate your shopping around

The Orchaita bark is best for catts

---------- Post added at 07:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:12 PM ----------

Originally Posted by SJF

First Rays has the best prices. Your wallet would appreciate your shopping around

The Orchaita bark is best for catts

He also has Spag. for paphs or SH for paphs.

When I have ordered he either ships out the same day or the next and I receive my order the next day. Great customer service and he is really good about answering questions

[Leafmite]

It also depends on the cattleya. Some that like dryer climes do best mounted or in vanda baskets with rock. Always research the ancestry of your cattleyas to see what they want. I grow a few mounted, two in vanda baskets with a few chunks of red lava rock, and most in a net pot with lava rock. Some catts need dormancy, some grow all year. When using a pot, I always stake the orchid on top of the medium and allow the roots to grow down into the medium.

[SlipperGirl]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

It also depends on the cattleya. Some that like dryer climes do best mounted or in vanda baskets with rock. Always research the ancestry of your cattleyas to see what they want. I grow a few mounted, two in vanda baskets with a few chunks of red lava rock, and most in a net pot with lava rock. Some catts need dormancy, some grow all year. When using a pot, I always stake the orchid on top of the medium and allow the roots to grow down into the medium.

I have a young cattleya dowiana and they like dryer climes so should I put it on a mount or in a vanda basket?

My paph is paph. venustum

[Leafmite]

I chose a large plastic vanda basket for my seedling C. dowiana aurea and used a handful of large red lava rocks to add a little stability. The roots are nearly completely exposed. I water about twice a week. I have it against the south-facing window (was worried it might get too cold but it is fine). Here are two links I found useful or interesting:

Cattleya dowiana | Chadwick and Son Orchids
Cattleya orchid species

[Paphluvr]

Originally Posted by mothorchidgirl

Hi

What are some good potting media for catts and paphs.

Lowe's sells a good Cattleya mix made by Better-Gro. It's their Special Orchid Mix. It also states that it is good for Paphiopedilums, but it's far too chunky for that. As far as Paph. mix goes, I prefer to mix my own.