Dendrobium Cathy Beck

[brookn]

I recieved my project plant on Thursday 4/10/08 Dend Kathy Beck. It is small but very cute. I look forward to tracking it's progress here. I watered with water and Superthrive, soaked and sprayed. Followed up with some cinnamon spray, and will be repotting it tonight or tomorrow, as the travel to my home caused it to become loose in it's pot. I have decided on Shultz Orchid Medium, as it is what my other Dends are all potted in, and they are thriving.

[kmarch]

I haven't been able to find much on Den Kathy Beck. The one pic I did find looks like a phal-type crossed with an antelope-type. Is that correct?

[Sharyn]

Kevin: Jerry posted this link in one of his posts regarding the project.
Hawaiian Floral Nursery: University of Hawaii cultivars

[kmarch]

Thaks for that Sharyn. I do now remember seeing that info some time ago.

[brookn]

Yes it is Kevin, and the antelope type are my favorites, so I am doubly glad it is the project plant.

[brookn]

It's been one week since recieving my plant. I repotted just a bit ago. I was surprised to see and old pseudobulb buried in the medium. It was loose in it's pot since I recieved it, so the repot did the trick Pic of the plant before repot, and two pics after, one showing the p-bulb that had been buried.

[articuno75]

Didn't you put this into S/H? Got pics of it? (You're slacking on the updates hon. LOL)

[brookn]

Argh! Finals week, two papers, one essay, and a test due tomorrow. Ack I am dying. I get done reading posts here (which takes me forever), hit the chids with some water if they need it, repot one here and there, and back to the books or work. One more day, one more day.....This is my mantra until it is finished, then some me time, some kid time, some dog time, and some chid time lol. I promise the long awaited and promised pics are coming for a little of everything. My research paper is almost completed with the final draft, (I'll e-mail ya a copy ) Oh my exhaustion, I need a week long nap.

[brookn]

Well, my Cathy Beck isn't looking so grand, which is why I put her into s/h. The good? news is the leaves I thought it was going to lose firmed up. They look awful and yellow, but they are firm and not floppy or loose like they were. I can see some rotten roots in the mix, but I have heard that happens with s/h at first. I guess time will tell. The pbulbs are firm, plump, and green.

[Jirel]

Cool! - well, not that its having problems but that the solution seems to be s/h. Glad to here its doing better!

[patlee]

Brookn, Did you use pea size hydroton or the marble size pieces? I have been toying with the idea of S/H, but my Cathy Beck finally has a new pbulb forming, so I am undecided. All I know is that the smaller size has been recommended, but my hydroponics store does not carry it and I would have to order (which I don't want to do). Be sure to keep us updated with the progress of your CB...

[brookn]

Mine is mixed in size from pea size to marble size, that's how I got it. There was no way I was going to sit and separate little clay balls, so I used it like that. It's all I had, and it is working great for my Onc. maculatum, and a Dend. Sabin Blue x compactum. The Onc. went from shriveled pbulbs, to plump pbulbs almost overnight. When I depotted the Onc. there were 2 plants, my control plant is in bark. Honestly the one in bark shriveled, but is beginning to plump up with new growth and roots, it just did not do it as fast as the s/h plant. The s/h plant is also beginning to catch up in size, and it was about 1/4th or more smaller than the other.

[brookn]

Well here we are, 1 out of 4 leaves left, fat full pbulbs. I guess I'll take it. It's still alive, so bonus on that.

[psyc1210]

Gosh I love how round those hydroton or whatever LECA it is that you are using. My aliflor is not perfect round balls, some are round and some are not. But these, they just look clean and neat.

[articuno75]

Is there any signs of growth or roots?

[brookn]

Well we have something growing. I am not sure what, and really it has no leaves, one bad looking root.....? I guess I have become a little apathetic hee hee. Psyc the balls are Hydroton, that I bought from Jerry with my order.

[articuno75]

Is it a leaf or a spike? I can't tell. Mine's doing something too, but I can't see for sure, it's so far down in the middle of two leaves. Me thinx it's a spike though.

[Jirel]

I think its a spike. I have a root growing out of my old bulb, but it doesn't look quite like that, I don't think anyway.

[brookn]

I have no idea what it is. This is my problem child. All the rest of my Dends are happy as can be. I was sure this one was determined to die on me. Now, who knows what kind of surprise it's got in store lol. I wonder if it's going to shoot out a keiki like Connie's did and then croak. It's the saddest looking plant.

[Rishad Kalarikkal]

I think its gonna flower...any ways I just love new growths...

[brookn]

Mystery solved, now for it to GROW!

[patticake]

Cool! New growth is a great thing. I would say it's happy and telling you so.

[articuno75]

Brookn~ I think yours is the first to keiki. That is cool! I bet it's just an itty bitty little booger too.

[solay]

Wow. Looks like a baby on the way. Looks like you lost some leaves too. Mine is starting to get yellowing leaves on the old pbulb. I hope it's not dying on me.

[brookn]

Hee hee Solay, it's been trying to die since I got it. Not sure why, but it is. Hopefully yours will not give you any more attitude lol.

Jenny the pbulb it's on I would say is not more than an inch tall, so the keiki is very tiny right now. I was shocked when I saw that little baby root. It's not the first to keiki though, Connie's did, and promptly died on her. Her keiki is still going strong as far as I know.

[articuno75]

Oh yeah, I forgot about Connie's. Is it still alive?

[brookn]

Not sure, hopefully she will see this thread and let us know. I need more info. from her about what she did with hers.

[brookn]

Update! Lots of new growth.

[kid a]

yay i'm rooting for it to make a comeback, lol! These things are so beautiful when in bloom!

[brookn]

It's pretty cool to watch it grow, it's growing so fast. If you look at the bottom of the keiki in the second pic above the root, that green spot looks like an eye that is getting ready to produce a new pbulb (weird). I see new growth daily.

[brookn]

Well, the little booger has grown quite a bit. I am not sure what to do about removing it, and how I am going to pot it. Any ideas welcome, I am afraid of hurting it just twisting it off. The largest pbulb is less than 1" (2.5 cm), the medium sized one is approx. 1.5 cm. and the smallest is 0.5 cm. The longest root is approx. 2 inches, the smallest just a nubbin, and all together 9 roots.

[patticake]

Wow! It looks like the roots are going to grow right into the hydro! I have a keiki from a noid Den, that my friend just snapped off her plant when it looked like that. It's growing well. It air dried(healed) for about a day and a half before I potted it up. You could probably leave it, but it might look a little funny!

[brookn]

Thanks Patti! The keiki started 2 1/2 months ago, it grew really fast. I will take it off eventually lol, I am just asceerd right now of hurting it, it's so tiny. The mother plant has no roots, and is just shriveling away poor thing. What I really am wondering is how or what I am going to do with it once it is off. The roots are everywhere, so a tiny little pot is kinda out of the question. If I pot it I know it's going to look like I have way overpotted it lol.

[patticake]

I would just let it keep going the way it is, and let the keiki roots go where they want! It might look a little funny, but hey, it will be a happy plant!

[brookn]

Update... not long after the last photo I twisted the keiki off and potted it. It's growing happily in a pot that looks gigantic for it, but under the bark the roots go from almost one side of the pot to the other.

[flowerchild]

It looks fine to me, and doen't look unhappy at all, good growing Brookn!!!! I have a couple of plants that had old pbulbs that looked like they were on their way out, so I thought I would try the old spag and bag method. Unbeknownst to me, shock, they are growing new roots and bulbs, whoohoo!!!!! I guess I truly am an orchid grower now!!!!!!!!!!

[patticake]

How cute! I'm glad that it's doing well!

[Rocinante]

I have a Cathy Beck too, they are resilient as heck.

[brookn]

Thanks everyone, maybe I will finally get to see those cute little blooms eventually!

[solay]

It's looking really good. I think you'll get blooms out of this one for sure. Mine is still sitting there doing nothing. At least it's still alive.

[Witchypoo]

Originally Posted by kmarch

I haven't been able to find much on Den Kathy Beck. The one pic I did find looks like a phal-type crossed with an antelope-type. Is that correct?

Kevin don't tell me there is ANYTHING you don't know or can't find. You are a walking orchid encyclopaedia.

WP

[grandmapenguin]

Brookn that Cathy is really looking good.
When I was in Florida Jerry gave me one in bloom and the flower
lasted almost 2 months. I will send a photo as soon as I can get to it.
I think it's taking a rest now.
Terry

[solay]

Terry, mine was resting for the longest time too. Then after seeing this thread I checked on it. I was surprised to see something coming in. Think it may be a spike.

Here's pics. of mine.

[grandmapenguin]

I finally found some time to take a Photo of Cathy.
she is a leafless little thing but not for long. I see a new growth and also a little nub to the right at the base. We'll see what that becomes.
Terry