cattleya pots

[theflowerbread]

Hi there. I just wanted to ask in which pots are better to grow catts - plastic or clay? When I googled mostly was seen clay pots and some were with a lot of holes on the side as well (known as cattleya pots). I have read that if you grow in clay pots then the repotting is a horrific even due to too hard diving roots from the pot. Currently my 2 cattleya orchids grow in plastic pots, the ones I have bought in originally. As the potting media is still ok I haven't repotted. How are you doing about cattleya pots? How does the orchid feel better - with a clay or a plastic pot from your observations? Thanks

[cucubirds]

Well it really depends on your watering habit & growing environment.

Clay pot will dry out much faster than plastic pot. So, if you grow in clay pot , you need to water more often. If your area is dry & hot, you may consider using plastic pots.

Whatever type you choose, choose the pot which just comfortably fits root ball to avoid over-watering & root rot.

[Catt Mandu]

I grow all my Cattleyas in terracotta pots, very open medium. They like to dry out well between watering events, keeps the roots happier.

[cakedaddy]

Repotting isn't terrible with clay pots. If fact, if you use inert media, there is no need to repot at all...just put the current pot into a new pot one size up. The roots will grow into the space between the clay pots. Doing this virtually eliminates the chances of overwatering but means that you would need to water more frequently and be careful not to allow salts to build up (thats easy enough using weak fert concentrations and periodic flushing with "clean" water). It's a great method for anyone who likes to water. I am one of those people.
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[Missanna]

First, you grow in a windowsill, which usually has lower humidity, so plastic would be better if your humidity is low.
Lower humidity means you have to water more frequently.
The fact that your plants are in a windowsill means that you have to let them drain before putting them back in their place.
If you have low humidity and clay pots, then watering will become much more of a chore when it comes to repotting.
Clear plastic pots help you to see the moisture in the pot BUT if the pots are getting hit with any direct sun, they will heat up like a greenhouse, so if you use clear plastic, it's a good idea to just set them in another pot or wrap them with tinfoil or something.
The best thing I can think of is to get a plastic and a clay pot in the size that your plants will be in and fill each one with the same kind of medium they are potted in. Water these pots and see how long it takes for them to dry out. You will want them to dry out in about 3 days. Remember that this new potting medium will dry much faster because it is new, so when it is older, it will dry out more slowly. So if the medium takes 5 days to dry when it is new, it will stay wet too long after it is a few months old.

I hope that helps. You will find that what works best for one person will not work for another because there are a million factors that are different from one persons environment, watering habits, etc.

[cakedaddy]

Yikes! The way I grow would generally NOT be good for a windowsill grower. I'm am accessing the forum via mobile. I can't see the user info. Interwebz...it's tricky
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[theflowerbread]

Thanks guys a lot! Now I have a lot of things to think about...
Ps. I always think I do wrong with watering my catts: I don't know when to water - I am waiting when it dries up but I dunno if is good for catts. Also the pseudobulbs for me seems a little too shrunken no matter how much I water. I think I water to few or the roots are damaged or I too low the humidity I don't know. About clay pots I was thinking it could improve the situation but now I'm not sure.
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[Pat9381]

I divided and repotted my first cattleya a few months ago. I put one division in clear plastic and the other in a terra cotta "orchid pot". I like being able to see the roots in the plastic pot. I have been moving chuncks of bark around on the one in the terra cotta pot to check on roots. Ultimately, the division in the terra cotta pot looks healthier. I have not had too much trouble with it drying out too fast. The terra cotta pot is sitting on lava rocks inside a larger ceramic pot. Without creating a wet foot environment, there is still enough moisture to slow down the drying process. That said....it still needs watering at about 4 days.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

It depends on how often you like to water and the medium you choose. We like to use plastic grower pots and a home-made bark mix.

cheers,
BD

[Pat9381]

Brutal_Dreamer....I apologize in advance if this is a stupid question.... I can get coarse bark..but how can I turn that into medium bark? Is sacrificing a blender my best option? I have been breaking chunks with my fingers but they are getting tired!