Cycnoches - Orchid Board

jaxorchidman · #1 10-14-2010, 02:19 PM

Just got a nice Cyc. Cooperi from H&R Nuseries from visiting our society. It's in a 2" pot thats overflowing. What media should I transplant this into?I do plan on going to a small 4" pot also. Thanks!!!!

smweaver · #2 10-14-2010, 04:27 PM

If it's getting ready to go dormant, you might want to hold off on repotting it until next spring. The lead growths don't put out new roots this late in the year (at least not in my personal experience). They'll grow in pretty much anything as long as it drains well and retains quite a bit of moisture (this is especially important during the summer growing season when the plant should be encouraged to maximize the size of its newest pseudobulbs). I use a mix of medium-grade coconut chips and aliflor. For small plants NZ sphagnum works well also (but you'll probably want to replace it every year since it tends to break down). Good luck with your new seedling.

jaxorchidman · #3 10-14-2010, 06:17 PM

It's in bloom right now and I have put it in fresh sphag. Think this will do? There is some yellowing of the leaves, but I think this is due to it being in the heat of my jeep. I have had one of these before and lost it due to a couple things. Any info would be awesome. Thank you and thanks smweaver!!

kavanaru · #4 10-15-2010, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaxorchidman

It's in bloom right now and I have put it in fresh sphag. Think this will do? There is some yellowing of the leaves, but I think this is due to it being in the heat of my jeep. I have had one of these before and lost it due to a couple things. Any info would be awesome. Thank you and thanks smweaver!!

It will work fine by now with Sphag. Keep watering as long as in bloom, but do not water too much! (However, if it has not viable roots - sometimes they are sold without roots at this time of the season - do not water anymore!). Once the bloom is over, stop waterings and let itgo dormant. The yellowing ofthe leave could be be either for the reason you gave or because it is going dormant already.

you can leave the plant in the Sphagnum (no watering but misting from time to time avoid thew PBs to dehydrate too much (a light watering could be done, but only if the plant has roots and you need to be careful and pay attention that it does not stay too wet!). Next year, when the new growth has roots about 2-3 inches long, you should repot the plant into new medium. You can use any organic media which drains well but retains moisture for quite a while (when not using S/H or PET - a modification of S/H - I use a mix of: medium bark, sphag, perlite, charcoal in a proportion of 3:1:1:1). Catasetinae need a lot of nutrients and water during the growing phase. The plant needs to grow a PB very quick in a quite short period of time, and the aim is to have a PB at least the same size (even better if larger) than the previous one!! In order to ensure the nutrients supply, I use to add a tsp of slow release fertilizer (like Osmocote) added on the top of the pot (cover with a very little amount of subtarte just to hide it!) opposite to the new roots (as far as possible!). I learned this from brazilian growers and works like magic!

PET: is the brazilian method of cultivating Catasetinae... PET comes from Polyethylene terephthalate, as they normally use PET-Bottles as pot (see Bruno's Fredclarkeara here http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ack-pearl.html ). For this you add some inert medium to the base of the pot, just to to the top of the drainage holes (I use LECA for this, but in Brazil it is common to use broken terracotta). On top of that you add a layer of large size organic substrate (in Brazil they use broken palm seeds, which are very hard. I use large bark, but have also use large Pumice with good results!), in order to separate the next layer from the water in the bottom. On top of that you add your culture substrate (Brazilians use Coconut chip, but I use the medium I mantionned above of bark, charcoal perlite and Sphag. A friend of mine also add dried oak leaves to the medium with good results!). You need to cut off all old roots of the plants before potting (leave onl ythe very new ones, which are startin to grow!) and also add the Osmocote as mentionned above. Do not place the plant in the center of the pot, but on the border of it! There is no need to repot the plant every year, as recommended in many websites! Actually, most Catasetinae dislike that! You can repot your plant every 2 - 4 years (check that the medium is still draining well, but do not worry is the wood is rotting a bit - Catasetinae like rotting wood, and they actually grow on it in the wild!) - important is that the reservoir is empty during the dormant period.

Dormant period: Catasetinae normally go dormant in Winter (or duringthe dry season in South America). Just let your plant tell you when it wants to go dormant! Some plants just continue growing constantly, starting a new growth just before the previous one looses the leaves... If the plant does not wantto go dormant, just do not force it!

Lars Kurth · #5 10-15-2010, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Do not place the plant in the center of the pot, but on the border of it!

Ramon, can you explain why? Does this help with rooting or just stability?

I must try to osmocote when I repot again (-:

kavanaru · #6 10-15-2010, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lars Kurth

Ramon, can you explain why? Does this help with rooting or just stability?

I must try to osmocote when I repot again (-:

just to give it more space to grow, and avoid needing to repot it one year after, and also to keep the new roots as far as possible form the osmocote. The new PB, will grow a lot (if well cultivated!) and will take on the pot very quick...

jaxorchidman · #7 10-17-2010, 03:57 PM

Good stuff there!! Thank you Ramón!