That's a really good question Scott. I have been thinking about it for a couple months now. I have some seedling Cattleyas that I want to put in baskets but am worried about how to transplant them when the wood rots. I was thinking about just letting them hang there sans baskets when the time comes.
This is Blc His Light x Blc Hawaiian Lightening "Pastel Orange". As you can see, the plant has literally eaten the basket and now the roots are headed straight down. I'm hoping that when the basket eventually rots, the the mass of the plant will keep it clinging to the wires. As you can see, there is no bottom to this basket.
This is Cattleya Quinquecolor. I got it in a 3 inch pot and dropped it into this basket because the roots were coming out the bottom of its old pot and I didn't want to repot just then. This basket may have been a mistake as the roots are having a hard time coming out the tiny holes.
I'm not sure what to do about that but this is the plant that bloomed horribly. I did a virus test which was negative. Dennis Olivas has offered to trade it back for something I'm happier with. I would be REALLY happy with this plant if it bloomed the right color.
My thought is to buy 8 inch plastic vanda baskets from Calwest and put all my Cat seedlings in those. I was even thinking 12 inch and putting two to a basket. I have to figure out how big these little Cats plan to be when they grow up.
This last photo is a Laelia anceps var veitchiana 'Fort Caroline' HCC/AOS cutting that Curtis Gene gave me last November. It has taken well to wood basket living. Curtis gave it to me in a rusting wire basket (it had no happy roots and was extremely wilted) so I am a little leary of wire. Don't worry about the brown stuff on the stem. I spilled peat and apparently didn't get it all up.
Before I run off and order a bunch of plastic pots.... are the Cats just as happy in plastic as they seem to be in wood?
