New Cycnoches-when to water?

[Fishmom]

Last night at my Orchid Society meeting, I acquired a Cyc. Jean Monnier from the raffle table. It's a healthy plant, showing the remains of a small bloom spike from this year, and a tiny new growth just peeking out. However, the largest p-bulb still has its leaves, although they are looking tired, with brown tips.

Now. normally, I realize that I should be withholding water until the new growth is larger and has good roots. But with the leaves on the mature bulb still present, would it be better to just stop all watering now and trigger the dormant period? Or should I continue with moderate water until the old leaves give up?

I think this question has been addressed recently, but I can't seem to find it. Sorry if I've been repetitive. I'm hoping some folks that are more experienced with catasetinae than I am will give me some tips.

[orchids4me]

Barbara,
Have you tried checking if the free Baker and Baker sheets had this one listed there for culture notes ??
I'm getting ready to go take a peek over there to look for another type but I will see if its there.
Be back in a bit.

[orchids4me]

Hi Barbara,
They didn't have this one available in the free sheets. But they might ha e it in the ones they charge for. I think they are a couple bucks each or something like that. Hopefully someone will have some answers to help you

[rcb]

I thought Baker and Baker only did sheets for species?

[Fishmom]

Renee, you are correct that Baker and Baker only have species sheets. In fact, I have the sheet for Cyc. cooperii, but it doesn't deal with the situation of an overlap between new growth and a non-dormant older growth. Would you keep watering for a while, or cut off the water now?

[Fishmom]

Ha! I just read your last post in the catasetum growing thread, and you answered my question; you are watering plants that are already showing new growth. Thanks, Renee.

[rcb]

Fishmom, sorry, I really ignored your question. didn't mean too, but was going over a lot of different threads.

Want to add a note about Cycnoches. They are a little different that Catasetums, in that it is more common for these ones to start a new growth before the mature growth drops it's leaves. Maybe even more common isn't quite right, maybe even almost half the time? So when this happens, they don't enter a true dormancy.

I got rid of all my Cycs to concentrate on Catasetums, but when I had this happen, I did reduce the watering a lot until the new growth had the beginnings of a root system.

[orchids4me]

Originally Posted by rcb

I thought Baker and Baker only did sheets for species?

You are right! That's why I couldn't find it I was very tired last night this morning for some reason reading other species threads and my own searches I juist had species on the brain and ooops .... I looked for her first but had species stuck on the brain at the time... Sorry

[Fishmom]

Thanks so much, Renee, for that information--just what I needed.

And thanks to you, Emmaye, for checking out those free sheets!