I soak my orchid media overnight before I use it for repot. I would like to see how you grow Cattleyas..am not really good with it so far.
As for Phals, I never bring them out, just because our conditions here outdoors are too dry and way too hot at times. Our dry conditions here span 6 months, no rain..so just bone dry. Somehow I think of my Phals more as a cool growing orchid, comfortable in temps that I like as well. That is why as I grow them indoors by our west facing window, I really allow them dry time after watering, since indoors it takes much longer for the roots to dry out. Then to mimic good air flow, I run our ceiling fan or open windows weather permitting.

Now Phals outdoors have more elements to dry them out faster, more air, more temp variations, and if temps heat up, you may have to step up watering, but still allow the media to dry. Just make sure they are in a shady side, their leaves can easily burn with too much sunlight.

Try to lean your Phal plant to the side when you repot, that way water will flow out away from the crown.

Thanks, Tarev for the info on growing phals. I'm off to soak some mix. BTW, I'm not good with orchids at all. For advice on growing cattleyas, I'm hoping that @Seaecho will help us out. I need to start my own thread instead of highjacking this one. Sorry.

You're not highjacking the thread--I'm enjoying the conversation! I also soak orchid bark or soil with orchid bark in it for any orchid overnight, as the salts in the bark are damaging, and the soaking gets rid of it. As for the Cattleyas, they spend a lot of time doing nothing. Then all of a sudden, they bloom! Mine always catch me by surprise. They do seem to grow slowly. Phals, I have found, will spend long periods of time "sulking" if you do the least little thing they don't like. At least mine did.

And yes, NEVER get the crown of a phal wet! If you do, roll a piece of tissue to a point and dab out the middle of the crown. I'd forgotten about that! I would never even attempt growing phals outside here either. Way too dry, way too hot in summer. I always have a fan going too, 24/7, in my plant rooms (two bedrooms). I also open windows whenever weather permits. The Catts get enough sun because I'm in S. California high desert area, and they're in a west window. I don't know how many orchids I've had, but in the end, I lose about 2/3 of them. I've stopped buying them, as they are way too expensive. Some I've had for years, but the more delicate types always die on me within months.

So true about sulking Phals..I think it is trying to get the proper timing when to repot, but sometimes just got to repot a newly arrived one, to be sure it is not suffocating in moss or have lurking crawlers below.

There is one type of orchid I would really like try in my area..Eulophia petersii, says it thrives in arid environments, sounds perfect for our areas saecho. In time, I would venture on it..still trying to behave.

Seaecho. I'm trying to convince DH to get me a greenhouse, although, I'd prefer a large sunroom.

That's one I haven't heard of tarev, and I've been into orchids for quite a few years. I'll have to look it up. Oh, you enabler, you! I'll use any excuse to buy a plant! Yes, Deebie. I'd love a big sunroom too! One that I can somehow automatically adjust the light for full shade, dappled shade, partial sun, or full sun. And in different areas of the room too. Yeah, right. As if that's ever gonna happen.

Hey what's gardening fun without a little enabling..I can show you a link where to find it

http://aridlandswholesale.com/...

I do not have a sunroom or greenhouse either..thankfully my collection is just small, I make use of this growcamp. It was intended for vegetables, but I use it for orchids. Works well. I had a really good deal years ago at our local OSH. Our arid environment is preventing me from indulging to get more orchids. Just have to maintain what can be reasonably taken indoors for overwintering later.


And in deference to the current drought, I am not running our fountains. I just use the fountain now to hang my Vanda coerulea. Poor Vanda..it is still struggling here..but it is alive and surprisingly trying to form a good fat root, so I still have hope for it, just got to be misting more often. I will certainly dunk this plant in water next week.


The dreadful 97F temps are coming next week...

Tarev, your orchids look very healthy! And thank you for the link. Very interesting plants. I see they are not inexpensive either! I've never been able to keep a vanda alive. I read online somewhere that, for some reason, they just don't do well in California. I think they're beautiful though. I see that the Eulophia petersii is a type of Epidendrum. I have had those before. Nice plants, but for some reason I had problems with thrips.

Yes, our lousy humidity levels plus the drought here in Cali makes it harder to grow a lot of plants. I am only growing that Vanda since I know it can take our mild winters easily, so I can leave it outdoors even in winter. Some have been using a set-up called vase culture. I still have to read further, they did have examples using a Vanda.

I saw Eulophia petersii at a succulent nursery in Berkeley one time, I was excited to see it..but have to turn away..they are selling it for $75...no way will I buy that expensive. I just bought other succulents instead

If there is one orchid alliance that I really find easy, it is those under the Oncidium alliance. Though always thirsty..good for those who tend to overwater. The only thing I do not like, their leaves easily get those dark spots, makes you panic if it is bacterial already..but it does not hamper the plant from blooming. Just makes the leaves a bit ugly looking at times.

I see what you mean--I looked on ebay, and there weren't any Eulophia petersii there that were cheap! I've had oncidiums too. I really like some of the speckled blooms (I like spots, lol). I did find them fairly easy. I remember the dark spots too, bummer. Quite a few orchids can look pretty ratty when not in bloom! I just ordered an Iris tectorum variegata yesterday, and it's already been shipped. After all this plant talk, I felt I had to buy one!

Don't feel bad...I am already on the edge of buying something too, so will eventually misbehave I was initially planning to go to the San Jose orchid show yesterday, but got tangled with other stuff, and today went hiking instead in SF. Got to escape the searing heat here. Baking temps is here ugh! My garden sensors just showed 102F..though online it says 90F..always my little hole exceeds it more.

Looking forward to seeing your new plant!!

This is the new iris. I love it. Have it in the house currently. And I added a pic of a "pup?"? Would you call it that in an iris? And how big does it have to be to separate it?

That looks like a pup to me, but I'd imagine you'd want to wait until it was "adult sized" before you separated it. Could do it sooner I think, but it definitely looks too tiny to do so now.

Planto

Thank you Planto!

Keep us updated on how well it does indoors. It sounds like an experiment to me!

Planto

Update--The Iris is doing pretty well, aside from some browning on the tips that I had to trim off, and now the plant is about 2-3 inches shorter, lol. Otherwise, it looks fine. I have it indoors only--way too hot and dry to even attempt to put it anywhere outdoors!