Watering Cattleyas

[Uncle_vito]

I have some cattleyas that are basically potted in air (the plants are in a pot and the roots are bare with no media). How do you water these? Do you soak the roots for a few minutes or do you just spash the roots with water?

I have been soaking the roots for a few minutes when I have time, other times I pour water over them and it immediately drains out.

Thanks for all replies

Uncle Vito

[tenman]

What is commonly missed is that these plants neeed a good deal of water. They don't like to stay wet, but they still need the water. Your 'potting' situation is ideal IF you have the plants stabilized so there is no movement to harm the new growing roots. And the best watering regimen for them is several times a day for an extended period of time. In their natural habitats, when they get water they receive it over a prolonged period of time, that is, it rains for several hours or the heavy mists in the AM last for hours. What media do in a pot normally is provide a chance for the plant to absorb water for a while as the medium stays wet.So, bareroot in a pot, have a mister on them three or four times a day for 5-10 minutes at a time.It's labor intensive, but then you have chosen to go without medium, which requires you to more closely mimic their natural environment without the baffer of a medium.