Laelia tenebrosa - Stalled growth

[SouthPark]

If the leaf just sits there and doesn't open, then you could try to use your fingernail like a letter opener, and gently pry it apart. Maybe some natural plant substances have just glued it shut.

Also ----- are these plants getting good air-circulation?

[rbarata]

If the leaf just sits there and doesn't open, then you could try to use your fingernail like a letter opener, and gentry pry it apart. Maybe some natural plant substances have just glued it shut.

I've thought about that but if that's whats happening, then the root cause is low humidity.

A good example is Laelia anceps...their blooms are covered with a sticky substance. One must, sometimes, to spray it to allow blooms to open. In nature it won't be needed because in their habitat is humid enough.

Also ----- are these plants getting good air-circulation?

Well, it's indoors so I guess the answer is no. And I'm glad they don't...with 15% HR it would kill them.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by rbarata

Well, it's indoors so I guess the answer is no. And I'm glad they don't...with 15% HR it would kill them.

I think that should be ok. I was mainly concerned about not enough air circulation linked to what goes on within the pot.

Your plant appears to be doing well, which is fantastic.

[isurus79]

I'm kind of at a loss why there are a ton of roots but the growths aren't getting much bigger and why that growth got stuck. There's something the plant is missing. What fertilizer do you use?

[SouthPark]

It's possible that the plant just needs to get more water into it. Water more maybe.

Also, the pot dish on the bottom of the pot will definitely catch water that runs out of the pot.

I attached a pic of something I do for handling limited amounts of drained water --- a plastic drainage grate. The water runs out of pot and into the tray, but the pot always stays above the water level because the drainage grate lifts the pot away from drained water. A pot raising method is ok. I just ended up using plastic grates.

The two plants were recently purchased from 'ebay'. Both were the same plan - now divided them into two.

I grow all my established catt-type plants in scoria. Humidity is pretty good here. Watering -done by sprayer wand with nozzle placed over the surface of media, and just spray lots of water into the pot and all around. Water collected in the pot dish eventually dries up.

[rbarata]

There's something the plant is missing. What fertilizer do you use?

I'm using Akerne RainMix NPK 11,8 - 2,7 - 11,8 (11,8N+2,7P2O5+13,7K2O+11,8CaO+3,5MgO+4,8SO3).

Now that you've mentioned, there's something it didn't show in the photos that made me decide to water with Magnesium Sulfate (Epson salts) for the last two weeks.
These are older leaves. New leaves apparently show no signs of this.





SouthPark, these plant has a good drainage, or at least was made by me considering it. It has large amounts of LECA, especially at the bottom.

The only thing I did differently from when I got it (and the plant behaviour was normal) was to put the humidifier pointing the mist directly to the plant.

I also thought about heat stress issue. As it is indoors, temp drop is practically inexistent (in summer it's around 25ºC - 77 F).

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by rbarata

SouthPark, these plant has a good drainage, or at least was made by me considering it. It has large amounts of LECA, especially at the bottom.

Sounds good rbarata.

[isurus79]

Some Cal-mag might help, but high temps is probably not the problem. Cattleyas definitely appreciate a 10 degree (Fahrenheit) drop at night. I grow mine outside and it’s over 100 degrees most days this time of year with low humidity. Just be sure to water every evening if you put them outside.

---------- Post added at 07:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:31 AM ----------

Here’s a video I made for growing my Cattleyas outside in the heat. Summer Cattleya Update July 2019 Austin, Texas - YouTube

[rbarata]

Thank for the video, Stephen.

I could put it outside...I can say that my climate half of the year is the one that suits rupiculous Laelias.

Regarding Catts my main concern is not heat but the night temps which are (at the moment) around 15ºC (59 F). If we consider day temps are frequently above 35ºC (95 F), maybe that's too much of a drop. The humidity also has a large amplitude: <20% by day and >90% at night.

Anyway, I tried to open the leaf just to see...suprisingly, putting a sheet of paper in the crack, it opend really well (5 seconds was enough). Maybe it was about to open or it was a "sticky substance" issue, i.e., low humidy.

Here it is:

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by rbarata

Thank for the video, Stephen.

I could put it outside...I can say that my climate half of the year is the one that suits rupiculous Laelias.

Regarding Catts my main concern is not heat but the night temps which are (at the moment) around 15ºC (59 F). If we consider day temps are frequently above 35ºC (95 F), maybe that's too much of a drop. The humidity also has a large amplitude: <20% by day and >90% at night.

Anyway, I tried to open the leaf just to see...suprisingly, putting a sheet of paper in the crack, it opend really well (5 seconds was enough). Maybe it was about to open or it was a "sticky substance" issue, i.e., low humidy.

Here it is:

That nighttime temperature drop is pretty good! My humidity also fluctuates the same as yours.