Cattleya: Growth Cycle?

[cluelessmidwesterner]

Emma,,

As a new orchid grower myself I understand your quandary. We're so worried we will do the wrong thing at the wrong time and proof.

My C. walkeriana which I purchased and repotted right away because of its poor state two months ago is still 'stalled'. It's not growing new roots or bulbs nor is it withering away. It's just so set back it doesn't know If it should wind its watch or scratch its butt. I've bagged it, put it on a seedling mat, given it kelp with watering but it just is there.

On the other hand, the Rlc.. Hsinying Scarlet that I purchased and potted 6 weeks ago is putting out root tips like H#ll won't have it in the last week. Both it and the walkeriana are on a seedling mat side by side. The difference (besides being different parentage)? Rlc. is in a plastic food storage container I fashioned into a planter and the other is a clay pot. So the Rlc.'s roots zone is warmer than the other one but it dries faster. The walkeriana was my first potting so it over potted.

I also have a Ctt. Secret Love that was potted a month ago that's I see may be starting to put out root. It's in a small clay pot and is separated from my other plants until I'm sure it's healthy and doesn't have any tiny livestock. As a result its up on a high self about 10 feet away from a large south window. It's not been on a heat mat but it seems to be doing ok for a just reported plant.


The one thing I've learned is the orchids didn't read the books and they'll do what they want to when they want to in your environment. Why would two of my Cattleyas decided the first week in January in iowa is a good time to put out growth and a third says "not so much"? You tell me.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by cluelessmidwesterner

Why would two of my Cattleyas decided the first week in January in iowa is a good time to put out growth and a third says "not so much"? You tell me.

Mostly genetics... different Catts root at different times. Hybrids are a combination of species. Sometimes they will root more than once a year (from the different species in their background), sometimes they'll pick a point that is a compromise, sometimes favor one species more than others, or just do what they want when they want. As long as they are cozy (NONE would survive an Iowa winter, so they don't care what is going on outside, they didn't evolve in the US Midwest...) they follow their own calendar.

If you try to follow some arbitrary rule (like "pot in the spring") you'll successfully grow the ones that root at that time... the ones for which it's the wrong time just won't survive or thrive. If you observe and let the plants tell you what each one wants to do , you'll succeed with a lot more of them.