Started Zygopetalum at the wrong time — lessons learned

I planted Zygopetalum at entirely the wrong point in the growing calendar and spent the first few months wondering what I'd done wrong. failure to rebloom without a temperature drop trigger didn't help matters. Once I understood watering by soaking the pot then letting it drain fully things improved substantially.

pseudobulbs that store water and nutrients is what makes this plant worth persisting with. In a grouping with other tropical plants for humidity it finally looks as good as I'd imagined. repotting best done just after flowering finishes redeemed the whole effort. If you're starting out: do your timing research before you plant.