Cattleya Basic Help Needed

[Sharyn]

I’ve searched my orchid books and tried to find pictures online, but to no avail. I’m hoping that you cattleya growers can help me. I’ve studied their cultural needs, but still have some basic questions.

1. What am I looking for in new growth? Where will I see it?

2. I have two of the same catts, however, one plant has only one leaf on each pbulb; the other has two leaves per pbulb. Is this odd? They're both about the same size leaves & height.

3. Two frostbitten plants seem to be holding their own (thanks to advice from this forum), however the flower buds fell off and there are other little buds inside a “papery sheath” (?) that are black and dried up. Do these need to be removed? Will other flowers develop in the same place?

4. The medium is very very hard. It’s not just bark - I’m not sure what it’s composed of, but it’s almost impossible to get a skewer in or out of the pots. These were grown in Hawaii. I know I'm suppose to wait until I see new growth to repot but the medium feels like concrete. So, replace with fresh bark now or wait? And last, but not least,

5. Should they be getting any fertilizer while they appear to be dormant?

I've not had these plants long enough to see them flower so I’m not sure what to expect with their growing pattern. So far, I’ve only been able to find pictures of fully bloomed cattleyas. I’d like to see a few pictures of catts developing their bud or sheath (not sure I would know the difference between the two). I’m new to growing these. Any info will be appreciated.

[Aniko]

Sharyn, I try to answer your questions though I am also a beginner in catts.
1. The new growth usually appears at the base of the last pseudo bulb and initially looks like a bud.
2. There are 2 types of catt.: with 1 leaf/ps.bulb and 2 leaves/ps.bulb.
3. Dried sheaths can hide living buds.I think is better to wait.
4.Re potting earlier than the proper time: when roots start growing from the new growth - will set back the plant.I think the hard medium is not a problem, try to push the skewer after watering.
5.As about fertilizing - I do it from time to time.

[jerrymeola]

Sharyn

The sheat with the buds will not develop since you say the buds turned black. They died from the cold. They will fall off naturally or you can remove them.

I grow thousands of Cattleya. There are generalizations and their are exceptions.

Re-potting -- this is an area of a lot of generalizations that do not always need to be followed. Specifically waiting to see new root growth before re-potting. If you wait your chances of having problems are reduced.

In October I received 100 XL Cattleya from Hawaii. Some of these had 8 inch root spans in a 4 inch pot. The roots were everywhere outside the pots. Most of the roots in the pots were rotted. This is normal when they get this big without re-potting. I mentioned then that I divided the plants, cut off all the rotten rots and cut most of the good roots.

Some members were shocked that I cut so many roots and did it just before dormancy. I mentioned Asians sometimes cut all the roots to stimulate growth.

So for a follow-up the plants have extensive new roots and 10% have flowered already in only 3 months from the root pruning during a non-flowering season. Remember these were large healthy plants, just bad roots in the pot and too many outside. I give this example as an exception to the generalization of waiting until you see growth of new roots. But do not try it unless you feel comfortable with judging the condition of a plant.

Just because the medium is hard is no reason to re-pot immediately. Most probably it is very pot bound. Hawaiians use mostly bark or coconut. Neither of which is a problem. Wait to the beginning of spring and re-pot whether you see new roots or not. It is root growth you want to see not necessarily leaf production. New roots would be better but if the plant is in too bad a medium or too pot bound it may not develop new roots.

All Cattleya grow in one direction along a rhizome. Now the exception. They can split at the end and grow in two or more directions. Especially if it hits the wall of the pot. At that point they are really growing as multiple plants. They can be divided at the this point easily, when they are large enough to divide.

[Sharyn]

Thanks Aniko and Jerry. I have a better idea what to look for. I'll wait to repot in the spring. I've been letting them get dry before watering, however, when I water, should I also fertilize at 1/2 strength or wait til I see some growth?

[Aniko]

I do fertilize continuously, I also checked the culture sheet which says"weekly weakly", no referral to dormancy.

Catts grow more slowly in the winter, but they do continue to grow, so I fertilize with one-half a teaspoon to a gallon of water. However, by the end of this month with all the good light we're now getting, I'm going to increase that to a whole teaspoon to a gallon of water. Every fourth watering is with plain water.

You may or may not have two of the same catts. A unifoliate can often have a few pseudobulbs that have two leaves instead of one, but rarely does the whole unifoliate behave like a bifoliate and have two leaves on every pseudobulb. I may be wrong about this.

As Jerry says, repotting a cattleya at the wrong time can set it back for months. If you can wait a few more weeks as the light gets stronger you'll have a better chance for a happier plant. Catts like as much sun as you can give them, and they like to be wet and then dry out before being watered again.

Some catts develop sheaths, some just develop buds at the leaf axils. Sometimes the sheaths can sit there for months, dry out and look half dead, but when things are just right, buds develop in those sheaths and they bloom. Some catts only bloom once a year, others bloom on every new pseudobulb. Perhaps if you told us the name of your catts someone will be able to tell you more about it.

[Sharyn]

Thank you for all the info. After finding some pictures on the internet of catts. in sheath/bud I have a clearer picture of what to expect. I'm going to hold off on repotting and I've just started a fertilizer routine at 1/2 strength as you and others have suggested. I'm using a fertilizer made for orchids but still diluting it to 1/2 strength. I think I read on this forum that orchid fertilizer is already a lesser strength, so I'm not sure if I should be diluting it even further. Perhaps you can shed light on this.

In regard to the two different types of catt. leaves, I have Blc. Momilani Rainbow 'The Gypsy' and two smaller Pot. Little Toshie 'Gold Country'. The Momilani's had sheaths and even one bud ready to open when I received them, however, they were damaged in shipment by the weather and lost the buds so I have no idea of when they'll develop new buds and flower. Still doing my research.

Thanks again for your help. I'll probably be back with more questions!

[Aniko]

My Orchid food has clear directions:1/4 tsp(=2,1g )per gallon water if "weekly", or 1/2tsp per gallon if less often - which is equivalent to what was suggested in this forum. But this is the general rule, orchids can live with less for a long time.I also prefer less than too much...

[Sharyn]

Thanks Aniko. My orchid fertilizer calls for 1 tsp per gallon. I'm using 1/2 tsp per gallon right now for my other orchids and these catts. only seem to need water about every two weeks. I'll start feeding them with the same formula. I presume that I should increase this to regular strength when the weather gets warmer and my plants are showing some growth.