Cattleya Pot. Big Dream 'Long Life" x Lc. 'Dixie Hummingbird" Not flurishing

[cattmad]

Hi, you have a very unwell plant there. Check to see if there is a green eye in the newest growths. If so cut all the dead roots off ( will probably be all ) and put it in a clear plastic bag, put some damp sphagnum in the bag and then seal the top with a tie. Hang the bag in an area of broken sunlight, eg in a tree, but not in direct sun. Since you live in Hawaii there will be good humidity and warmth this will help. You may have to leave it this way for quite some months but eventually it should put out a new lead. When this occurs and roots start to emerge it can be taken out an repotted. I have done this with a plant or two previously here in Australia with positive results. I hope it works for you, if it doesn't bear in mind the plant is in very poor condition and it's a fairly big ask.

[Becca]

Originally Posted by cattmad

Hi, you have a very unwell plant there. Check to see if there is a green eye in the newest growths. If so cut all the dead roots off ( will probably be all ) and put it in a clear plastic bag, put some damp sphagnum in the bag and then seal the top with a tie. Hang the bag in an area of broken sunlight, eg in a tree, but not in direct sun. Since you live in Hawaii there will be good humidity and warmth this will help. You may have to leave it this way for quite some months but eventually it should put out a new lead. When this occurs and roots start to emerge it can be taken out an repotted. I have done this with a plant or two previously here in Australia with positive results. I hope it works for you, if it doesn't bear in mind the plant is in very poor condition and it's a fairly big ask.

Troy,

Please note that this method described is called sphag-n-bag. You should be able to do a search on here for this as well and be able to read other threads on it for more info on it. Me personally, I've had more failures then success with it, but it has been the opposite case for many others. The main goal of it is to increase the humidity for the 'chid, which most of us don't have the humidity you have in Hawaii so you may not need this method. I found that sticking my failing plants in the sphag-n-bag method was a recipe for high humidity plus stale air = fungus growing on the 'chids. But like I said it has worked will for many many others so I'm not saying you should try it.

[TroyTX-HI]

I really appreciate the advice! I have already lost one of my babies that I shipped from Dallas to Lahaina! The Agriculture department here opened the box before I arrived and let the shipping materials they were packed in dry out. I have it sitting in water with a tiny bit of fertilizer in the water right now. I will cut it away and try the bag process. If I lose her, I can always get another orchid. They are so cheap here, compared to Dallas.

It was my first Cattleya and I really didn't know much of what I was doing.

Mahalo my new friends!


Troy