Cattleya advice?

[Kilmiquix]

Hi, all! I hadn't posted a question in the last two hours, so I thought it might be time.

These two cattleyas have been putting off new roots in the last few weeks, but they look a little sad. A little wrinkled? A few shadowy spots? The leaves are not as firm as they were a few weeks ago but are no means floppy. They are in just a little fir bark in wooden slatted baskets. They get morning sun for a few hours and then are shaded. They get watered every morning and fertilized once per week.

The first two pics are of one plant, and the second three are of the second plant.

Additionally, should I remove the brown sheath on the second plant (pic 5) so that the leaf can open up? It's been over 8 weeks since I've had it, and that hasn't changed at all.

Can you take a look at the pics and give me some expert advice?

Also, is there a way to get the pics to rotate properly, or is that something I need to do before I post them? Or is the camera orientation. I imagine that long-time members have a permanent cricks in their necks.

[berthabloom]

I have had success opening my pics on my desktop prior to posting. Just the act of opening in a dedicated photo viewing app tends to correct the orientation. The sideways photos can cause me to skip a post altogether at the end of a long day

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by berthabloom

I have had success opening my pics on my desktop prior to posting. Just the act of opening in a dedicated photo viewing app tends to correct the orientation. The sideways photos can cause me to skip a post altogether at the end of a long day

Sort of same here. I open on desk top (using photo gallery) and always rotate sideways once, then back. Works every time.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by Kilmiquix

These two cattleyas have been putting off new roots in the last few weeks, but they look a little sad. A little wrinkled? A few shadowy spots? The leaves are not as firm as they were a few weeks ago but are no means floppy. They are in just a little fir bark in wooden slatted baskets. They get morning sun for a few hours and then are shaded. They get watered every morning and fertilized once per week.

Do take my comments with a large grain of salt .... living in MI as I do and being an apt dweller, my conditions are VERY different than yours.

It doesn't sound like they're getting too much light and might even be able to use a bit more once those new roots really grow out. Leaf color looks good .... not a dark shade of green.

They might need more water. Typically, new root growth coincides with new pbs being formed. During this active growth period, most catts seem to appreciate more water. Being that you have them in baskets, they will tend to dry out very quickly -- especially if it is hot and/or you have a good breeze outside. I know you said you water every morning but how thoroughly? Considering you will be entering your hot summer soon, they may actually need a good drenching in the morning and possibly another light hit in the evening. Once those new roots grow out, they will absorb more water which should help plump the plants up and perhaps will reduce the need for frequent watering.

Originally Posted by Kilmiquix

Additionally, should I remove the brown sheath on the second plant (pic 5) so that the leaf can open up? It's been over 8 weeks since I've had it, and that hasn't changed at all.

You can remove the sheath if you wish. Do be careful as you do so. Young/tender growths are more easily broken or damaged. So as you remove the sheath, brace the pb with your other hand so it doesn't get bent in two or snapped off. If the sheath doesn't not seem to want to come off fairly easily, then leave it and try again in a week or two.

[Kilmiquix]

Thanks, Paul! That's exactly what I was looking for...

They do dry very, very quickly with the breeze we have. I laid a little bit of sphagnum on top of the medium. Maybe that will help them keep a little bit of moisture. I didn't pack it in at all, just kinda tucked it a little. I thought about weaving a few pieces through the little bit of bark in the baskets, but I'm so scared of the horror stories I hear about sphagnum rotting roots.

We shall see!

[Merita]

It's the heat and the breeze that we have, I have some like that, and I'm watering daily because they also catch some sun early in the morning. The roots look good. I would not cut the sheath, when they are so small they take out some, but you can do it, nothing will happen to the plant if you are careful.

[Paphluvr]

My first impression of your orchid pictures (other than the orientation) was that the mix looks very new. Did you premoisten it before potting? New bark doesn't hold water very well until it starts to age a bit. Also, you say the bark is in the baskets somewhat loosely. Unless the plant is secured somehow, if it can wiggle in the mix when the wind blows it can injure new roots. I don't have a lot of experience growing in baskets, but when I first started out (over 45yrs. ago) I saw a Catt. potting demonstration at Stewarts Orchid (now gone?). They were planting in pots and literally packing the mix into the pot with a stick. The person giving the demo said that if you couldn't pick up the plant (pot and all) by lifting the plant, it wasn't potted tight enough. I don't know how this translates to basket culture though.

[Kilmiquix]

Oh, my! Nothing I grow is packed that tightly (but again, it's all in baskets and mounted)! Do you still follow that rule? I would be so afraid of damaging roots.

The catts don't wiggle, though. But I will keep an eye on that situation. Thanks!

The bark is fairly new, yes. Less than three months old. It does not hold a lot of moisture, for sure. The sphagnum might help with that for now?

[Roberta]

I have heard of that Stewart's approach as well, and I cringe every time I hear it! You can gently press the mix in place with your thumbs, but you certainly don't want to trash roots! And if there are new roots with green tips, don't even press anywhere near them. And along with destroying roots, potting sticks are impossible to sterilize - so they're vectors for disease. So stabilizing the plant is important, but there are better ways to do that... if the medium isn't holding tight enough, you can stake, or use "guy wires" to the edge of the pot.

[Selmo]

Try dunking the basket in a bucket of water for 5-10 minutes. Fill the bucket with just enough water so the bark doesn’t float out the top of the basket. This will give the bark time to absorb more water.
In the fifth photo it looks like the plant is dehydrated. Do the leaves feel hard/stiff or do they feel leathery/rubbery?