I repotted my Cattleya yesterday

[Aleksa]

I repotted my Cattleya yesterday. The plant was at my friend for a month, It has been overwatered. All roots are rotten, and plant has 5 big pseudobulbs. There is just one bulb which is growing new roots, and also plant has two new shots! Leaves are very firm and green, there is still no signs of dehydration... I hope It will manage to make new roots before leaves start to wrinkle. I am very afraid for plant's health because that is my only Cattleya... I am misting it few times a day. I suppose that new shots are good sign?

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Aleksa

I repotted my Cattleya ... overwatered. All roots are rotten,... growing new roots, ... two new shots! ... no signs of dehydration...

If it is growing new roots and has 2 new shoots started and there are no signs of dehydration, I think you'll be in good shape eventhough the old roots are all gone. My observations indicate that cattleyas usually only grow new roots form leads, that the back bulbs usually don't grow new roots. The bulbs may shrivel a little as the plant will be drawing off those reserves until the new roots start taking up the slack.

Cattleya Alliance orchids are some of the toughest I know. I've got one that was infested with scale, got burned in our Australian heat, suffered some serious setbacks, and was given up for dead, yet it is still recovering and though the growths are back to seedling size, they are still growing, each new growth bigger than the last and now after about 2 years of disaster, I just bet this thing is going to pull through.

Your catt is starting from a much better place. I can't wait to see it bloom!

Oh and I almost forgot. I dont' think I'd mist it. I'd water it normally. Others may have other opinions on this. The reason I say this though is because in general I am of the opinion that we should treat "special needs" plants (i.e. plants with no roots or that have been set back, etc.) as much like a normal healthy plant as possible because this would be what the plant is expecting.

[Aleksa]

Originally Posted by kmarch

If it is growing new roots and has 2 new shoots started and there are no signs of dehydration, I think you'll be in good shape eventhough the old roots are all gone. My observations indicate that cattleyas usually only grow new roots form leads, that the back bulbs usually don't grow new roots. The bulbs may shrivel a little as the plant will be drawing off those reserves until the new roots start taking up the slack.

Cattleya Alliance orchids are some of the toughest I know. I've got one that was infested with scale, got burned in our Australian heat, suffered some serious setbacks, and was given up for dead, yet it is still recovering and though the growths are back to seedling size, they are still growing, each new growth bigger than the last and now after about 2 years of disaster, I just bet this thing is going to pull through.

Your catt is starting from a much better place. I can't wait to see it bloom!

Oh and I almost forgot. I dont' think I'd mist it. I'd water it normally. Others may have other opinions on this. The reason I say this though is because in general I am of the opinion that we should treat "special needs" plants (i.e. plants with no roots or that have been set back, etc.) as much like a normal healthy plant as possible because this would be what the plant is expecting.

Thanks kmarch! I hope that this injure will not set back the plant much, because i would like to see flowers soon..

Strange thing is that, this plant have lost roots more than a month ago. And still there is no sign of dehydration. Leaves are extremely hard and succulent... Miracle!

[BunnytheOrchid]

kmarch is probably right about misting. I mist my cattleyas at most once a day in the morning, but they are not high humidity orchids, so misting several times a day is probably not necessary, and will save you some work

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

IF you start to see signs of dehydration, put a large clear baggy over the plant, but open at the bottom, to raise the local humidity and shift the water intake/loss ration for a little while. A few roots may be enough to prevent dehydration as you don't live in a low humidity area.

[Aleksa]

Originally Posted by Cynthia, Prescott, AZ

IF you start to see signs of dehydration, put a large clear baggy over the plant, but open at the bottom, to raise the local humidity and shift the water intake/loss ration for a little while. A few roots may be enough to prevent dehydration as you don't live in a low humidity area.

Thank you all people! Plant is growing a lot of new roots from the last bulb which grew.

Yes Cynthia, spring here is very humid. It's been raining for a last few days and air humidity at the moment is around 80-90 %... In summer humidity is very VERY low... But that is not important because I have covered balcony which works as mini greenhouse.

[Aleksa]

My Catt is doing very well... It is growing a mass of new roots which are emerging into pot, and two new shots are growing fast (for an orchid)... Also, leaves are firm, and maybe a bit wrinkled.

But only one thing worries me: Bulbs are still shriveled. Plant is watered when the media becomes dry, leaves are firm, but bulbs won't plump up. They are still shriveled... Is that the problem. I thought that, now, when plant has new roots and can accept moisture, the bulbs will fill with water and be normal. Where is the problem? Maybe I should water plant more frequent?

[Brooke]

Without roots your old backbulbs will wrinkle. As long as you have roots growing on the new growth, your plant is fine.

Backbulbs can only plump up when you have live viable roots on them to take up the moisture.

Brooke

[Aleksa]

There are the roots on my 'rootless' Cattleya... They have already filled whole pot and a few of them are starting to go out through the holes on the bottom of the pot.

[Tobi]

Now those are what I call healthy roots. I have had a similar situation with some of my
Catts. in regards to the older PB's shriveling due to root loss under them. But as Brooke
stated as long as the new PB's grow and are plump, it should be fine. I usually end up
removing the older shriveled ups one eventually when I get newer growth.

[Aleksa]

I was very surprised when I saw so much roots... Should I expect flowers when new growths become mature?

[Tobi]

Originally Posted by Aleksa

I was very surprised when I saw so much roots... Should I expect flowers when new growths become mature?

I'd say your chances are very good you'll get blooms

[Aleksa]

Tobi, you were right!!! My Catt will bloom!

Although my catt lost all roots she showed no signs of any weakness... It grew 5 new growths during this summer and also it filled the pot with roots.

Here It i is Autumn, temperatures are going low (but not yet below 64 degree F) I still keep my plants outside.

Few days ago I noticed two flower spikes emerging from the old sheats on two growths! Wohoo! Two spikes! I can't believe It! This is my first Catt bloom! I never managed to get cattleya to bloom before!!

I've read that catts can easily have bud blast, and I wanted to ask you what should I do to avoid that? I would be very disappointed to loose these buds! Temperatures are now going around 71 F at the day and 64 F at the night. I mist the plant every day... Are those conditions good for catt blooming? Maybe I should get the plant inside, to warmer spot, on a windowsill?

[Aleksa]

Umm... And one more thing...

This may sound crazy, but, since the buds appeared on two growths I thought to remove the flower buds on one growth in order to get bigger and stronger blooms on other one?

[jerrymeola]

save all the flower buds do not cut them. You have enough roots to support them.

Bud blast is not common on Cattleya when they have been in your possession so long.

You actually improved the plant by removing the old roots and allowing only the new roots to grow. Cattleya grow along a rhizome and old roots die off. I am a believer of removing old roots on re-potting although this is common in commercial nurseries it is scary for most hobbyist.

[Aleksa]

Originally Posted by jerrymeola

save all the flower buds do not cut them. You have enough roots to support them.

Bud blast is not common on Cattleya when they have been in your possession so long.

You actually improved the plant by removing the old roots and allowing only the new roots to grow. Cattleya grow along a rhizome and old roots die off. I am a believer of removing old roots on re-potting although this is common in commercial nurseries it is scary for most hobbyist.

I also didn't noticed any setback on plants after removing old roots (except maybe a few weeks of stagnation)...

I can't wait for blooms to open. I don't know how do they look like because I got this plant without blooms... I hope It will be a nice surprise...

[Aleksa]

OMG... Today, I noticed buds forming on another growth on the same plant! That growth still isn't matured, but I can see that new buds are growing!!! WOW! 3 flower stalks on a single cattleya...

Jerry, I know, I'm an idiot but I really think that plant wouldn't be able to get all the buds to flowering and that some of them will surely blast! I desperately want to remove just one flower stalk... (I can't believe that I'm saying this ) I don't want plant to exhaust itself by growing 3 spikes...

[articuno75]

I don't think that it would exhaust itself. If there is enough energy for it to make that many spikes, surely there is enough energy to support it.

Let it grow!

[Aleksa]

I am so excited! This is my first Cattleya flower! I thought that amateurs can't get more than one spike per plant!

[11Orchid126]

If you continue to mist, don't spray directly at the plant. Mist the air above the plant and let it drift gently down onto it.

[nenella]

I am not very experienced in growing Cattleyas (3 1/2 yrs) but believe that you should not mist flowers or buds either? I Have no idea if this is true or not ..

[Aleksa]

Misting can be the problem only if done in evening, because water can cause the buds to rot due to the low temperatures at night. I mist the plants in the morning so that they are always dry before night...

[Aleksa]

Here are the pictures of the plant...

First pic shows the biggest flower stalk.. Those buds seem to be small but I hope they will grow much more...

Second one shows stalk on other growth

Third one shows small stalk forming inside young growth...

And last two pics show whole plant and it's roots.

[nenella]

your plant looks very beautiful and healthy!
& I wholeheartedly agree with you about misting early...
I hate to admit this but I dont do it ...& learnt the hard way! misted pm (after work) opened window as had been doing all summer.....without thinking that the outdoor temp of breeze had changed !!!! got bud blast on 3 plants at different stages of flower opening ! Mia culpa!..
Congrats on having so many flowers on a first spike! Good luck in 'keeping ' all of them !
keep us posted!

[patticake]

Congratulations, Aleksa! You said you thought amateurs couldn't get more than 1 spike. Well, my friend, you aren't an amateur! You may be young, but you have a lot of knowledge and a feel for what the plants need. I sensed that in you a long time ago.

I wouldn't cut the blooms, either. See where nature takes you with this one.

[Aleksa]

Originally Posted by patticake

Congratulations, Aleksa! You said you thought amateurs couldn't get more than 1 spike. Well, my friend, you aren't an amateur! You may be young, but you have a lot of knowledge and a feel for what the plants need. I sensed that in you a long time ago.

I wouldn't cut the blooms, either. See where nature takes you with this one.

Thanks!

[11Orchid126]

That's a very healthy plant you have there. It should be able to support whatever buds it sends out. And in all my years of growing I never heard the advice to cut any spikes or blooms off to save other spikes or blooms. I only heard that advice if a plant had a very poor root system or was compromised in some way, and your plant looks very healthy. If you cut one off, how do you know you cut the right one, and that the one that's left is better? It could be worse. Don't worry, if a plant is too weak to support it's blooms, it will abort them without your help. But I doubt if that vigorous plant would abort anything! Nice growing!

[Aleksa]

Ok, you convinced (hope that's the right word) me!

Now I will wait, and, when (if) it blooms, I'll post the pictures...

[patticake]

I can't wait!!

[Aleksa]

Buds are growing and growing... Still no signs of bud blast! Wooho!

[patticake]

Woo Hoo!

[Aleksa]

Well... I really can't believe this!

There is another spike growing on the youngest growth! 4th spike is coming out!!!! Incredible...

[Aleksa]

There is it! Finally one bud has opened!!! Wooohooo... My first Catt! It's tagless, pitty...

[fred]

awesome congratulations
darn good growing
thank you for sharing with us
you can be proud of yourself for I am as well

[Aleksa]

Thank you so much fred!!! I'm happy to hear that!

I'm so glad to have this bloom, cattleyas are rare to find at my place and I gave my best to make this plant grow! I will definitely try to find more catts since they grow better than any other orchid in my conditions. I hope to find some of those hybrids with large, large flowers... And one day, maybe, If I go abroad to some nursery, I might get some of the South American species as Cattleya labiata, skinerii or any other species...

[Yiu Lin]

Congratulations! Great bloom!

And more on the way by the looks of it

[articuno75]

It's a very pretty flower. Congratulations on such hard work and what a reward!

[Aleksa]

Thank you articuno and Yiu Lin!

I wanted to ask you one more thing. I brought the plant inside (my mother allowed, even she likes the blooms ), and I use the gas heater at the night. Will the gases from it have some influence on flowers? I know that fruits can shorten longevity of flowers (ethylene), but I don't know whether gas from the heater can do something to them?

[articuno75]

It can. It can also kill the plant.

Make sure that it has fresh air circulating the plant.

[Aleksa]

Originally Posted by articuno75

It can. It can also kill the plant.

Make sure that it has fresh air circulating the plant.

OMG! Quick! I must move the plant from the house! I'll have to admire it on the balcony!

[Aleksa]

Oh dear... This thread begins to look like some action movie...

[snowballsarebad]

Your Catt is very pretty; I love the pastel colors of it. Good growing!

[kmarch]

Aleska, I see it has been about 8 months since you first posted about your rootless cattleya. Thank you for keeping us updated and sharing your success. I think it is important for members to see that, with a little basic orchid knowledge and some attention, orchids can be brought back from "less-than-perfect" conditions and reward us with beautiful flowers!

I don't know what others think but in my opinion, your lovely flower (though it be nameless) was well worth the effort and the 8 months of care and patience. I'm not a fan of frilly pink at all, but I'll certainly make an exception for yours. It's lovely!

[Aleksa]

Thanks kmarch! These orchids are really very tough, as you said! This is definitely a chid which made the fastest recovery of all my other chids. I'm struggling with one Dendrobium for a few years and this thing threw 4 spikes after 8 months!!!

[nenella]

Congratulations Aleska for growing it so well ! Very Pretty colour!