Autumn Catasetum Growing Guide

[isurus79]

Here's a quick guide for how to treat your Catasetums this time of year (i.e. early autumn): Catasetums - Autumn Care - YouTube

[DirtyCoconuts]

i enjoy your videos because;
1) your voice is warm butter and it makes me feel safe
2) knowing how they are supposed to behave helps me try to actually understand this group of genus



here is a fun curve ball


i was checking the rack today and after 8 spikes in some sort of succession, i see that we also have a NEW GROWTH?!?!? no leaves dropping either and i dont know what the hell these plants want LOL

on the left....made 10 weeks old?

Untitled by J Solo, on Flickr

[isurus79]

Yep, I've got several with new growths! You can keep watering as normal or cut off water before the new growth is done growing, say at the end of November. Either way works!

I've found that continuing to water these guys to support a new growth through winter can delay the spring's new growth, which can have effects down the line with delaying new growth. Complex hybrids often compensate with a shortened dormancy but species might just start growing later in spring, which can be irritating!

[DirtyCoconuts]

good advice- i'll plan to do that and let this little fella fend for himself....there is a ton of stored energy in the other pbulbs to sustain him

[SADE2020]

Call me whatever you want, but i don't like Catasetum

The flowers are gorgeous...but the plant itself is really like having a dead thing hanging around 💀

[DirtyCoconuts]

i will call you Sade

have you grown them? i would say that out of my ~18-20 plants i have never had more than 4-5 dormant at once and most dont go dormant at all...one of them just lost last year's leaves...the only reason for telling you this is that in your climate, it might not be as drastic as you think.

if you have already tried, then you know what you want and grow what makes you happy!!!

[mopwr]

Originally Posted by SADE2020

Call me whatever you want, but i don't like Catasetum

The flowers are gorgeous...but the plant itself is really like having a dead thing hanging around 💀

For me, I think that was a huge part of the appeal. There's something really cool about having a plant laid bare with a cluster of flowers. There's also the idea that I can take a "vacation" from caring for them for a good few months every year; It's all of the benefit and reward of caring for a plant 12 months a year, but for about 8-9 months of actual care and attention.

For me, cattleyas are one of those plants that I sometimes find less rewarding because of the care during winter. All winter long (depending on the type, obviously) they have no flowers, and they have some "not-quite-so-pretty" leaves and a handful of shrivelled bulbs. Their care becomes harder because of the low humidity and the lower temperatures; My goal is to just keep them alive and monitor them from November through March. It's like dormancy, but without the ability to completely write them off. They still need light and water, but not too much water. Having a clear "you are dormant, I can forget about you" phase, is a refreshing change of pace.

Additionally, as some have called out, some bloom with new growth, so they're not all in the same boat; there's a lot of diversity in this group. I have a cycnoches I spoke about on another thread that is pushing two spikes now with almost all of it's green leaves, and down lower on the plant it has another two spikes forming, which will likely bloom during winter. So it'll be blooming, more than likely, from October through February / March - half of those flowers will be happening while it's dormant, so I can place it anywhere in my house for display without worrying about watering it or giving it sunlight... All of that for 6-8 months of active growing season.

[SADE2020]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

i will call you Sade

have you grown them? I would say that out of my ~18-20 plants I have never had more than 4-5 dormant at once and most don't go dormant at all...one of them just lost last year's leaves...the only reason for telling you this is that in your climate, it might not be as drastic as you think.

if you have already tried, then you know what you want and grow what makes you happy!!!

No, I haven't tried yet!!!! Now you going to make me.... hahaha

---------- Post added at 10:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:46 PM ----------

Originally Posted by mopwr

For me, cattleyas are one of those plants that I sometimes find less rewarding because of the care during winter. All winter long (depending on the type, obviously) they have no flowers, and they have some "not-quite-so-pretty" leaves and a handful of shrivelled bulbs. Their care becomes harder because of the low humidity and the lower temperatures; My goal is to just keep them alive and monitor them from November through March. It's like dormancy, but without the ability to completely write them off. They still need light and water, but not too much water. Having a clear "you are dormant, I can forget about you" phase, is a refreshing change of pace.

You got a point. I agreed in some way. However, I have Catts that only flower from Nov to Jan 🤓 in my weather.

But I'll consider the Catas... I think I have that feeling I mentioned before, but also the trill to try 🙄

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by SADE2020

Call me whatever you want, but i don't like Catasetum

The flowers are gorgeous...but the plant itself is really like having a dead thing hanging around 💀

I dunno, they seem pretty alive to me!

Late growing season Catasetum collection by Stephen Van Kampen-Lewis, on Flickr

Late growing season Catasetum collection by Stephen Van Kampen-Lewis, on Flickr

[Mr.Fakename]

Originally Posted by isurus79

I dunno, they seem pretty alive to me!

Says the guy with Catasetum bulbs the size of my forearm! We don't all live in Texas