Black pearl catasetum - root rot survival - now what?

[bunnylotus]

Alas my long reply didn’t go through I got logged out for typing too long lol.

TLDR - I think it got mold because it got too cold and dark in my house and the moisture wreaked havoc. The roots were definitely mature enough. I’ve gone through the growth cycle for this orchid now for five years, so I think it was the conditions that promoted it. Perhaps also leftover old medium / old roots packed tightly together.

Either way it’s a super important and sentimental orchid to me despite the fact that I’ve never gotten it to bloom. First Christmas with my boyfriend (now husband) got for me. Felt so awful when I discovered the mold I just kind of got anxious and wanted to get rid of it (and it was everywhere. Ugh.

Are you saying you’re against root cutting at all or just at the time in which I cut the roots? Because agree yes normally wouldn’t have done this at all while the plant was still active but I was super worried it was going to rot the bulbs. Felt rather dire at the time to handle
Promptly. If I’m honest from the time I watered to the time I discovered it may have been awhile.

Either way, what have you done when you get mold/rot in your orchids? What would you have done differently?

Also I don’t think anyone answered my question regarding the black spots on the pseudobulbs - should I be concerned? Just leave it alone?

Last pt - I will be passing on putting the orchid outside. I did that once with a different orchid and got burned (no pun intended) and will not be doing it again. I’m rather forgetful so it’s just not a good combo.

Thanks everyone.

Edit:

Would using any of Rays seaweed solution be worthwhile to try?

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by bunnylotus

Alas my long reply didn’t go through I got logged out for typing too long lol.

I know what you mean! I had that issue once. And I had to develop a habit in order to address that sort of thing ----- by - just from automatic habit now - using my 'select all' text feature just prior to hitting the 'submit reply' button. Or - on a desktop MS Windows computer - the CTRL-A and CTRL-C to copy all typed text to computer memory. Just in case.

As for the mass of roots. For the winter time - allow the roots to dry up - or - at least not to become 'soggy'. In the tropics, and some other places, growers of this sort of plant know that some roots actually stay alive during the 'dormancy' period.

In the wild, there is nobody to cut the roots off. So under 'suitable' conditions, the plants won't get wiped out with roots still on the plant.

The main thing is - in cold climate areas - or very cold climate ----- avoid wet plus cold (- avoid relatively cold and wet).