is this cattleya a goner?
 

So it's been a couple weeks since I repotted this cattleya from its moss 'grave". I've had problems with putting it in the right pot & then in keeping the plant upright. Today it tipped over and I decided to look at the roots. They don't look well. They are all wirey. I don't think I feel a solid root. Is there anything I could do at this point (keep it in water) or is it gone?
:(:(:(

You would be surprised how resilient cattleyas can be.
Repot using a rhysome clip and also one or two 18 inch steaks to tie the most upright pseudobulb to and it will not keep falling out of the pot.
Keep on the dry side for your watering schedule and give it about 8 weeks and I bet you will see either some new roots or a new pseudobulb growing from your lead.

Eyebabe should I not water it, or should I just spray it with water?

BTW what is a rhisome clip? Is it just like a phal clip?

If the bulbs and leaves are not to desiccated you should be fine. Watering is not relevant untill there are new roots. Try to keep the plant in a place where the humidity is no to low but still the plant shouldn't stay wet or moist.

rhizome clips are little strong wire clips that attach to the edge of the pot and go across the rhizome to hold it firmly in place. Some are just hoops that straddle the rhizome. If you don't have any, I have used a not too wide masking tape and taped over the rhizome in several places and around the pot to make it real secure. You just cut the tape when it has rooted firmly and it doesn't touch the plant except a bit on the rhizome so it doesn't harm it in any way. I got one huge bare root catt recently but it was so top heavy nothing would hold it in place except the tape. a month later, I am starting to see a few small new roots!

You could mist it and keep it in a high humidity area until it roots. Also using some rooting hormone such as KLN or Superthrive to soak the roots and rhizome for an hour first before potting it might help.

Does anyone know if I can find the rooting hormone at Home Depot or Loews?

I've dealt with far worse examples and ended up with great plants.

PS in adition to what eyebabe stated, I would move it to pretty low-light, as well

Rhizome clips and ring stakes are my most important tools during spring repotting. Here are examples of both for clay pots. They have another type for plastic pots. For rhizome clips buy the size for the pots you use most often. I find that I use the one’s for 5” pots most often. For ring stakes buy the shortest ones. I believe they’re 6”. When used in conjunction with a rhizome clip the short ones work best. You need to man-handle these wire products. Bend them into the shape that works best for you. Rhizome clips should push down very hard on the rhizome. Much harder than you think it should be. For ring stakes put the ring stake on the pot first. Put some medium in and then lower the plant into the pot through the ring. Good luck.

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...izome-clip.jpg
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ring-stake.jpg

You can buy rooting hormone in a powdered form at places like Walmart, and likely the other box stores. But I have never seen K-L-N or Superthrive at those places in Canada. Paramount Orchids in Calgary would likely ship you a bottle of K-L-N.

I never use rooting hormones on my orchids, and basic care seems to serve fine under such circumstances

I was able to save Catts by using the water culture: Cut off ALL roots. Spray them with Physcan solution ( 1 tsp per gallon ), then put them in a glass of water.
You will need to change the water and clean them everyday. I used a tweezer to pull off any dead root tissue on a daily basis and rinse them off. Then refill the glass again.
Do this until you see new root growth.
This water methos would be the last resort to save your plant

Tucker thanks for the photos. I've never noticed these clips before. I'm going to keep an eye on these cattleya. If I see movement, I try to find some. Your second photo is what my cattleya looks like (with the wrinkles)

Okieorchid, your idea is interesting. Does the whole plant go into the water, or just where the roots are? (I hope I'm not at the last resort stage. :( )

sii, the key right now is not the roots but that you have six very healthy pseudobulbs. The plant will take its nourishment mainly from them and begin to form new growth.

So I don't think your plant is as bad as you think. Right now - if you are in the northern hemisphere - your plant will soon begin its growth cycle. One or more of the eyes will start to develop. Depending on the breeding at about an inch or so it will begin to put out roots. Those are the roots you want to give the best medium to.

If it were in my collection, I'd clean up the 'root mess' by making sure no old medium is stuck on. Then it would go in a Catt mix, stake it with a bamboo stake and a twistie tie and water it and let it alone. No bright light for awhile. Leave the medium dry well between waterings. Once you see roots from the new growth, then begin a more normal watering routine.

But all in all its in pretty good shape. I get alot in like that, either from breeders or trading back divisions which tend to be rootless. As long as the pseudobulbs are good so will the new growth with new roots.

Wow! What they all said ;)

Plus, you can get rhysome clips from repotme.com

I think your plant will do great!

bullsie, from my picture do you think I should cut away those spindly roots that are left?

I tried to get rid of as much moss as I could and I've moved it away from the window.

That is an individual choice as to whether to leave the roots or remove them. For me, I gently tug at each root - very gently. The useless ones snap off the ones that may still supply water won't snap off. Also, by doing so gently you don't risk damaging the pseudobulbs (a problem experienced when dividing up Catts by prying apart root balls or pseudobulb divisions).

But again, this is an individuals choice to keep roots or not keep roots. As I mentioned earlier, I've gotten them with a scraggly mess attached and some that had the roots sheared clean off. Its just a good time of the year for Catt growth.

Although they may not provide nourishment to the plant they do help you anchor it in your potting media and I usually would leave them for that reason.

After your new growth gets established you can go back and cut them out if they are a source of decay.

Eyebabe, that's a good idea. Thanks!

If you can't find any clips, cut up a coat hanger and make U shaped clips that go around the rhyzome to hold it in place. Another way to hold the plant upright is to tape two stakes or even chop sticks to either side of the pot, put the plant between them, and run soft yarn or twist ties around one stake, to the plant and around it, and then to the other stake.

As Eyebabe, RobS, and Bullsie say, keep the plant on the dry side. Cattleyas like to be watered well and then allowed to dry before being watered again. They like a medium that dries out quickly.

If you can't find Superthrive or Dyna-Gro KLN, you might try liquid seaweed. It has lots of micronutrients in it, and seaweed can grow as much as a foot a day. If you can't find that, then try molasses, about a tablespoon to a gallon of water.

Wow! How resourceful you are!! Love it. For now I've put a bamboo stick with a twist tie around the 2 middle/heavy bulbs, and another stick around a bulb that's on its own (balance) Seems to be okay. I've moved it out of the sun & maybe I'll go back to watering once a week. There's not alot of bark in this pot, just enough to hold things in place.

I find a product called Stim Root. I might go check it out. Although the liquid seaweed sounds interesting. It's a matter of knowing where to find it. Maybe I'll head out on the weekend.

Here's info on the Stim Root:

•Stim-Root is especially formulated to encourage quick establishment of roots on softwood types of plants

•Like other rooting hormones, will not make roots grow but enhances the plants ability to produce roots

•Supplies plant hormone at the point of rooting to help initiate root development