HELP--Newbie Cattleya owner in need of assistance!

[silken]

It's most likely a burn and the edges where you cut are just dying back a bit. Feel the leaves when they have been under the light for a while and see if they feel warm or hot. If they do, it is too much light. It may even adjust eventually to that much, but it would need a slow introduction. Moving air also helps keep it a bit cooler. Keep an eye on the wound, but I expect it won't go much further as far as the black edges are concerned. The rest of the leaves look healthy to me.

[jaxy86]

Originally Posted by silken

It's most likely a burn and the edges where you cut are just dying back a bit. Feel the leaves when they have been under the light for a while and see if they feel warm or hot. If they do, it is too much light. It may even adjust eventually to that much, but it would need a slow introduction. Moving air also helps keep it a bit cooler. Keep an eye on the wound, but I expect it won't go much further as far as the black edges are concerned. The rest of the leaves look healthy to me.

Thanks, you're a life saver

I bought this...is it the right bulb (metal halide)?

350 Watt Metal Halide Pulse Start Grow Light Bulb SLI | eBay

[silken]

Originally Posted by jaxy86

Thanks, you're a life saver

I bought this...is it the right bulb (metal halide)?

350 Watt Metal Halide Pulse Start Grow Light Bulb SLI | eBay

I don't use this type so I can't really say anything helpful about it. Some growers do use metal halide but my impression is they are pretty strong. 350 watts sounds strong to me. But as I said, I really know nothing about them. I use T5 fluorescent bulbs that are either 2 or 4 ft long. I'm wondering if the light is real direct based on its shape and the one brown burn spot.

Maybe someone else will be able to say but in the meantime, you can just make sure the leaf is never getting too warm which if it isn't, it shouldn't burn.

Are all the leaves beginning to turn a brighter green than they were in the beginning? They looked rather dark green in your original pics. Usually the lighter green the leaf, the more light they are getting so that will tell you too if they are getting a lot more light. Also borrowing or buying a light meter would tell you how many foot candles (fc's) are falling on the plant. A cattleya often needs around 3,000 +/- to bloom well.

[jaxy86]

Originally Posted by silken

Are all the leaves beginning to turn a brighter green than they were in the beginning? They looked rather dark green in your original pics. Usually the lighter green the leaf, the more light they are getting so that will tell you too if they are getting a lot more light. Also borrowing or buying a light meter would tell you how many foot candles (fc's) are falling on the plant. A cattleya often needs around 3,000 +/- to bloom well.

Not much improvement in that arena, they're still somewhat dark, though I do see some patches of lighter green here and there...

Also, I put in a little bamboo stick as was suggested and when I took it out too see I noticed some white fuzz....is this fungus? What should I do?

jaxy