I need advice on Catasetums please.
 

Hi everyone! I purchased my first Catasetum and I have been reading up on them. I read the article at Sunset Valley Orchids about them and a few posts I have found but I don't think my questions are covered.

I currently have three other orchids. A Phal, a Dendrobium phalaenopsis and a Oncidium. They have been doing GREAT since I started keeping them under 50w red/blue grow lights and weakly fertilizing them once a week.

I currently have them in a room where they get eastern sun and they have the grow light above them.

The room they are kept hits about 78 - 80 degrees F during the day and goes down to about 65 - 68 at night.


So Question: I am unable to find any info about temperatures to keep Catasetums. Is there an preference? I'm wondering if 65- 68F at night would be too cold for it?





From what I read Catasetums like to be kept in bright light . According to SunSet Valley Orchids

Quote:
" Light levels: Catasetinae like light levels comparable to Cattleyas at about 2500-4000 foot candles (fc) However, the plants are widely adaptable and do well with light levels as low as 1500 fc and as high as 5000 fc. For optimal growth I suggest a Southern exposure or a location where all the plants will receive plenty of bright, filtered light "

end Quote.


I would prefer to keep my Catasetum in the same room as my other Orchids. So I'm thinking about buying another grow light and putting it on a lower shelf. I found one for about 35 dollars that supposedly will output 5000 fc/lums.

Question again: IF the room I want to keep them is too cold at night. How much sun is enough or too much? I live in central Texas , United States and during the summer it can reach over 100 degrees F. My backyard is South West and I have a back patio.

I could keep it where it gets pretty direct South Sun ( strong ) or not direct South West ( not that strong ) sun. But it will only get 3-4 hours at a time on either side unless I find a spot for it out in the yard so it's not encumbered by my patio .


Thank You!

I group all of my plants by the lowest night time temperature I want them to see. My indoor winter area can get into the mid 60sF, so I don't bother with the real hot growers. My groups are 60°F, 50°F, and no frost. Catasetum are in the 60°F group. When night time temps are consistently above 60°F my 60°F plants are outside. Catasetum sit I the absolute sunniest spot I can find. There's not enough intensity in sunlight at 40°N latitude to hurt them, unless I move them too rapidly into those conditions. Any plant moved from indoors to out should be gradually acclimated to natural light. I use the manure method for mine, filling their pot about 2/3 full of composted cow manure and the top 1/3 with whatever I have around, which lately is cedar mulch. I don't water until the pseudobulbs start to shrivel, by which time the roots are well down into the manure. At that time they sit in trays with a constant water level of a couple inches. When the leaves start to yellow I remove from the trays and reduce watering. When the leaves have dropped the plants get no more was until after repotting in the spring and the cycle repeats.

Thanks for this! Do you think my 90 - 100+ temperatures are still okay? I hope the grower will tell me what conditions he had the plant in. I'll send an email to ask.

Thank You

I don't think you'll have a problem. A member here, isurus79 lives in TX as well, and recently posted a couple videos on Catasetum care. You should search them out, and maybe give him a holler.

As long as it’s well hydrated (which it should be anyways in the summer) 100°+ should be fine. All of mine regularly experience those temps June-September.
I’ll echo Subrosa. If you look under the Catasetum and Stanhopea Alliance section of the board there are a few posts with links to videos that isurus79 has made in regards to growing Catasetums. They are very good videos and he has been growing them a long time

double post

Thank You both. I'll hunt down those videos.