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The beautiful cattleya orchid loves a position with good, filtered sunlight or semi-shade, such as in the bough of a tree. It will grow in all parts of Australia and is easy to propagate by division.
Four (4) steps to dividing and repotting cattleyas
STEP 1: Like most orchids, cattleyas prefer to be pot bound rather than overpotted. This is because they don’t like their roots too wet. Only repot when the plant looks like it is about to fall over.
STEP 2: As they grow, cattleya canes (pseudobulbs) shoot up from a rhizome. Divide them into sets of about 4 canes per division, cutting with a knife or with secateurs.
STEP 3: A new cane can be recognised as a swelling at the base of the previous cane. When repotting, point this new cane so the plant will grow back towards the middle of the pot to best utilise space.
STEP 4: Repot into Searles Orchid Mix, a specially designed mix for cattleya orchids for best results.
Four (4) Autumn Orchids How to Use a ph Soil Test Kit
