I purchased a cattelya orchid last year from Lowes. It came in a plastic bag with three leaves about 3" long. I planted it into a 4" pot. It now has 7 leaves about 5" to 6" long and one shoot has double leaves. The roots are starting to go over the edge of the pot and are white with green tips. How old does the plant have to be before to blooms? and should I repot? Thanks Ron
If your roots are growing repot now. You can slip the current pot into slightly larger pot and let the plant grow on or remove it carefully, remove any old mix and repot into a new pot that is only slightly bigger (I use a med/coarse grade of mix for Catts). I usually tamp the media around the roots and sometimes secure the plant to a piece of bamboo for support until it establishes itself. If your Catt is getting good light and fertilizer it will probably bloom within the year (some types grow very large but many hybrids can be compact or miniature in size). If your has compact breeding it is now blooming sized at 6-7 inches. Watch for a sheath (thin modified leaf covering buds) or just buds coming from the axis of the last leaf. Shaun
