How to Care for a Cattlyea Orchid

Plant your cattleya orchid in a coarse, well-draining orchid potting mix, or create your own potting mix by combining equal parts peat moss, chopped tree fern fiber, fir bark, charcoal and volcanic stone. Position the orchid in an east- or west-facing window where it can get a minimum of six hours of sunlight each day. Note that cattleya orchids will fail to bloom if they do not receive enough sunlight.

Maintain indoor temperature and humidity levels similar to your orchid's native climate. Program your thermostat to keep the temperature of your home between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the daytime, and 58 to 60 F at night. Place the orchid on a shallow tray filled with decorative pebbles and water to increase the humidity around your houseplant; cattleya orchids perform best in 50 to 80 percent relative humidity.

Water cattleya orchids sparingly for best results; overwatering promotes root rot and other fungal diseases which can kill your houseplant. Water your orchid weekly using the ice cube watering method to provide it with just the right amount of irrigation. To do this, position three ice cubes on the surface of the potting mix; avoid allowing the ice to touch the plant itself.

Fertilize cattleya orchids monthly to promote lush and healthy new growth. Feed the orchid with an application of a water soluble orchid fertilizer used according to the application directions on the product label.

Repot the cattleya orchid in fresh orchid potting mix every two to three years to maintain the health of your plant. Remove the orchid from the planting container and rinse the roots under gently-running, lukewarm water. Examine the roots; trim off any that are brown and mushy using a sharpened and sterilized garden knife. Repot the orchid in a slightly larger planting container, if necessary.