Out of season new growth (or spike?) on Catasetum Frilly Doris

[Afid]

I purchased a Catasetum Frilly Doris in spike about a month ago. It has since bloomed beautifully (it is still in flower except for the few that distributed their pollen across my table). As I was watering this morning I noticed a shoot emerging at the base of the plant that looks suspiciously like a new growth. It is of course the season when I should be reducing water for dormancy but if it is growing I'm not sure that I should. The leaves are just barely starting to yellow so I expect they won't last much longer. This is my first (but certainly not last) Catasetum so any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[fishmom]

It does look like a new growth, but it will take its strength, water and nutrients from the parent pseudobulb. I would cut back on water now, cut even further as the old leaves yellow and drop, and resume regular watering when the new growth is ready--leaves spreading and roots 2-3 inches long. Enjoy the show!

[Afid]

Thanks!

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Afid

As I was watering this morning I noticed a shoot emerging at the base of the plant that looks suspiciously like a new growth. It is of course the season when I should be reducing water for dormancy.

If the temperature is not damagingly cold to your plant in your region, or if you can keep the plant in a warm region with adequate light conditions ----- then there should be no problem with allowing the growth to develop.

At this moment, I have various catasetum type plants that had been coming out of real dormancy, and they are pretty much well out of dormancy now. And my experiment was to water very lightly, every single one of them (big plants and small). And after about 4 weeks or more now ........ absolutely no issues with growth or roots etc.

My observations are ----- these plants aren't negatively affected by light watering. Their growth do not get stunted by light watering. Watering new roots doesn't stunt the new roots or plants. This includes Fdk., Monn., Mo., and Clo.

Probably what kills or affects them is ----- over-watering under conditions where media doesn't have enough water movement due to poor air circulation and/or poor drainage and type of media. And the roots/plant die due to lack of oxygen and/or water stagnation.

When there's a small new growth, and when there are big old bulbs around it (dormant, or approaching dormancy), there will actually be no need to water the plant - because there's not really enough leaves for decent water uptake. So there is no real requirement for watering during the early growth stage. My experiment is/was to just see whether reports of new roots and plant getting stunted due to watering (for plants coming out of dormancy) were probably true or not. At the moment, observations are pointing toward - untrue. A survey among lots of other growers would be good too.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by fishmom

It does look like a new growth, but it will take its strength, water and nutrients from the parent pseudobulb. I would cut back on water now, cut even further as the old leaves yellow and drop, and resume regular watering when the new growth is ready--leaves spreading and roots 2-3 inches long. Enjoy the show!

I agree with this, except wait until the roots are 4 inches or more. Post a pic of this new growth again in a few weeks. I'm curious to see what it looks like.

[Afid]

Thanks to everyone for all the help and advice! I will post more pics when the growth develops more.

[Afid]

Here is a pic of the flowers btw

[fishmom]

Love the fringed lip!