Catasetum - To water or not to water ?

[orchidsarefun]

Actually nothing could be simpler with sphag. Only water when moss is 'crispy'. Always use room temp water and pour water through pot to wet moss thoroughly. And plant should be fairly tightly packed in the moss.
Do not use moss if your temps dip below 65f for an extended period. Phals hate cold moss. Try it !

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[Regelian]

I find that hybrids are particularly flexible in their needs. Some plants are simply more rot suceptible than others. You have to watch. Cycnodes and Mormodes ancestry tends to make the off-spring more sensitive to watering, while Ctsm. with pileatum blood are very forgiving and often do not rest at all. Complex hybrids can be very individual, as they have not read the rule book.

As to roots, I hear all sorts of non-sense about them not growing if watered to soon. Not my experience. Rather rotting can be an issue. They still need to dry out, which is problematic in plastic pots (I use clay or baskets, and that on a windowsill) and, yes, some plants require a dry rest. You can't force most into growth and they are evolved for their environment, which cannot be ignore (just played with). I find roots may be active for well over the oft mentioned 8 months. Many are still active over a year in SOME plants, just not all. Again, watch and let the plant communicate. By the way, green roots are not necessarily actively growing, that is only the chloropyll reacting to the water. Look for a growing tip. Also, the roots do branch well, if required, and this appears to be a variable quality, presumedly genetic.

I, too, am a big fan of sphagnum. I've been growing orchids for some 50 years and there is still nothing like it. Certainly other medium work well and the cost of quality moss holds many back from experimenting with this long proven medium, but I would urge others to experiment with it. Osmunda is, also, interesting, but I have to grow my own! If you have palm wool, this can be interesting.

I applaud your spirit of experimenting and even Fred Clarke would appreciate what you are attempting. Think beyond the box. They is always more to understand and growing conditions vary. Report back, successes and failures, please.
Jamie V.

[bil]

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

Actually nothing could be simpler with sphag. Only water when moss is 'crispy'. Always use room temp water and pour water through pot to wet moss thoroughly. And plant should be fairly tightly packed in the moss.
Do not use moss if your temps dip below 65f for an extended period. Phals hate cold moss. Try it !

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I have my phals on a waterfall stand, and the top pots are out of reach without a stepladder. I water them on auto pilot, 3 times a week in summer, once in winter.

I like moss, just not in a pot. Plus, the tighter the moss, the more you are dicing with rot. For me, the final thing would be that there is no way on earth I could budget to keep the greenhouse above 18C.

[orchidsarefun]

Originally Posted by bil

I have my phals on a waterfall stand, and the top pots are out of reach without a stepladder. I water them on auto pilot, 3 times a week in summer, once in winter.

I like moss, just not in a pot. Plus, the tighter the moss, the more you are dicing with rot. For me, the final thing would be that there is no way on earth I could budget to keep the greenhouse above 18C.

yep. The problem is your growing conditions, not the sphagnum itself ! For people who can meet the requirements of growing in sphag for phals, mainly min temps, then its ideal.

---------- Post added at 09:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:55 AM ----------

Regelian - your point about every Catasetum hybrid/genus having their own requirements that may need your tweaking as a windowsill grower is valid. My pileatums are only now losing their leaves. I have a tabulare still in full leaf after a recent 2nd blooming. As windowsill growers, sure, listen to sage advice from the experts.... but also don't be scared to experiment too.

[bil]

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

yep. The problem is your growing conditions, not the sphagnum itself ! For people who can meet the requirements of growing in sphag for phals, mainly min temps, then its ideal.

Interesting. I have never before had anyone explain that there was a min temp for phals in moss.

Thanks.

[orchidsarefun]

Update. I am keeping to the 1x per week watering.
A - 2 pseudobulbs, strong growth. 3rd pseudobulb little or no growth.
B - 1 pseudobulb growth growing well. 2nd growth in limbo.
I am going to repot A when I get the chance - only because there is no pot space for the 2 new pseudobulbs. ( I am curious to see the state of the old roots )

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The bulbs are plump and green. Guess the watering did them good too


On same plant I have a seed pod that is going on for 4 months.

[orchidsarefun]

Ok, I repotted because I received my radiata tubers in the mail and I had to do those.

I'm pleased with the results. There is a lot of healthy root growth - the entire root mass and media is moist. Most root growth, as is evident, in the area of the new growths. Unfortunately I removed many healthy roots when I cut off the back bulb to make space.
The experiment continues but it just goes to show that it pays to experiment!

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After repotting

[No-Pro-mwa]

I guess it never hurts to try. They are looking quiet happy.

[Regelian]

Looking good! I use a similar mix for my Cats. I add carbon (I have it at hand), as well as perlite, but I think the 'secret' is the bark to sphagnum base. You get air movement and retain enough moisture. Is that a time-relase fert. you top with? I've tried adding a handfull of 'Animalin' (dried dead things, essentially!) to the Cat. mix with great results.

cheers,
Jamie V.

[gngrhill]

I also applaud your "stepping outside the box". You are apparently having good results and I may try a couple. Please keep us posted.