Description

🌸 Cattleya Orchid Care — AlansGarden Guide

Cattleyas are known as the “Queen of Orchids,” loved for their large, colorful, and fragrant blooms. They thrive with bright light, good airflow, and moderate watering.

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☀️ Light

• Bright indirect to partial direct light is essential.
• Ideal: 40–60% shade outdoors in Kerala.
• Leaves should be light green — dark green means not enough light.

Flowering depends heavily on light.

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💧 Watering

• Water every 4–6 days, letting the potting mix dry almost completely.
• In rainy/cool months: reduce watering.
• Avoid water sitting on new growths; it leads to rot.

Watering Tip:

Lift the pot — if it feels very light, it’s time to water.

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🌡️ Temperature & Humidity

• Ideal temperature: 18–30°C
• Humidity: 50–70%
• Needs good airflow; Cattleyas dislike stagnant, humid air.

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🌱 Potting Mix

Use a fast-draining, airy mix:

• Medium/large orchid bark
• Charcoal
• A bit of perlite
• Clay/coconut-chip mix (optional)

Best pots:
Clay pots, net pots, or orchid pots.

Repot every 2 years or when the mix decays.

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✂️ Fertilizer

Feed lightly but consistently:

• NPK 20-20-20 every 10–12 days (1/4 strength)
• During blooming season: Bloom Booster 10-30-20 every 15 days

Flush with plain water once a month to avoid salt buildup.

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🌼 Blooming Tips

Cattleyas bloom once or twice a year if conditions are right.

To encourage flowering:

• Give strong bright light
• Maintain slight night temperature drop
• Ensure plant gets short dry periods between watering
• Do not repot when buds are forming

Blooms last 1–4 weeks depending on variety.

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⚠️ Common Problems

No blooms

Not enough light.

Shriveled pseudobulbs

Underwatering or root damage.

Rot on new shoots

Caused by water sitting inside the sheath.

Yellow leaves

Too much direct sun or old leaf naturally shedding.

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