Catasetum - To water or not to water ?

[AvantGardner]

I have a couple that look fattened to the max starting a second growth. I've had it happen before as well. The second growth ends up going into dormancy early or not at all, and then leeches off the rest of the plant all winter.

Don't know what triggers flowering in Fdk. but I've never had one start a spike in the middle of summer. Always a new growth. It might have something to do with the clowesia grandparent, because I do have a Catamodes in low spike now, I think.

[orchidsarefun]

I've never had new growths initiate towards the end of the season, interesting. This year a pileatum started a new growth off of an immature bulb mid-season. I have always assumed spiking follows bulb maturity, we'll have to see.
My Millenium Magic had so many new growths that I propagated 8 new plants in total, from divisions and then backbulbs. A macroglossum is spiking earlier than usual. Last year I had 2 spikes in succession so this may be a candidate for a new growth.

[orchidsarefun]

Well the good news is that both plants are spiking. This is 2-3 months earlier than usual so a prime objective of this has been met, at least in my opinion. Hopefully this also means that dormancy will also occur earlier and I won't have space problems. These plants are huge.

Darn. Back to square 1 with photos. I'm unable to upload attachments.

[orchidsarefun]

Tapatalk back?

Nope, sorry

[orchidsarefun]

Figured out how to post photos again. Deleted the Tapatalk app.!

3 spikes developing. I counted over 20 buds on the one spike. That plant is massive....

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

I said I would experiment with my After Dark catasetums because of my "contrarian" watering. They are grown in the same conditions and are roughly the same-sized.

Around 2 years late here with my post. But after seeing advice/recommendations about watering new root growths will kill the roots etc......... I just had to have a serious think about the validity of it ------- and I'm just thinking about what happens in nature..... or what could happen in nature.

This kind of experimenting --- ie. watering new roots --- is definitely welcome. And more results from other people investigating into this will also be very welcome - so that we can get to the bottom or root of this avoid-watering of new roots recommendation.

I'm thinking along the lines of what Ray says about air-circulation. As long as the water isn't allowed to stagnate in any particular section around a root, and new air can get to the water and flow over or around it, then things should be ok.

One way that I avoid water-logging and/or water stagnation is by having my bundle of spaghnum moss surrounded by scoria rock, and having big drainage holes in the pot, and using a drainage grate for water to leave the pot.

Obviously, catasetum are very successfully grown in 100% spaghnum in the whole pot --- but definitely need to control the amount of water put in for this case - otherwise it increases the chance of drowning.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Around 2 years late here with my post. But after seeing advice/recommendations about watering new root growths will kill the roots etc......... I just had to have a serious think about the validity of it ------- and I'm just thinking about what happens in nature..... or what could happen in nature.

This kind of experimenting --- ie. watering new roots --- is definitely welcome. And more results from other people investigating into this will also be very welcome - so that we can get to the bottom or root of this avoid-watering of new roots recommendation.

I'm thinking along the lines of what Ray says about air-circulation. As long as the water isn't allowed to stagnate in any particular section around a root, and new air can get to the water and flow over or around it, then things should be ok.

This is exactly why I dislike the posts that claim to water when it isn't necessary. People who aren't familiar with the group will extrapolate and start watering their Catasetums early. Why would you make your life harder and water a plant that doesn't need/want water? In nature they get dry conditions, hence their proclivity for dry conditions half the year.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Why would you make your life harder and water a plant that doesn't need/want water? In nature they get dry conditions, hence their proclivity for dry conditions half the year.

It's true what you mentioned. The plants have pseudo-bulbs that stores water, and the orchids in nature can acquire water from moisture in the air.

It will be just handy to know whether or not it is ok to water new roots. Or if watering new roots is done - even if not needed (since the plant can't take up much water when there are hardly any roots on it) - then will there be conditions where the plant can get through totally unharmed and unscathed.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by Bud

Good luck with your experiment but disproving Fred Clarke and his SVO orchid growers who has been growing and creating hybrids of this kind of orchids for years might be quite ambitious. You better experiment with several species and hybrids rather than a handful to really present us with accurate results.

SouthPark- This was never answered for a reason.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by isurus79

SouthPark- This was never answered for a reason.

isurus --- no definite answer yet. I think the 'reason' is not enough people seeing for themselves what will happen, and getting a chance to report on findings.