Rotting bulb

[Jinh]

I purchased a Clowesia last year that had 1 bulb with 3 new leads.

This year those 3 leads produced 5 new leads. As I began to water, the oldest (and original 1) never filled back out and continued to shrivel.

Now this original bulb is starting to rot and is mushy. This bulb is right in the middle of the plant. It’s also putting out a new growth.

Should I leave the plant to wall off the infected bulb itself? Will it spread if I leave it, considering how wet the plant stays?

I didn’t really want to divide the plant, but cutting out that pseudobulb will cause a natural separation of one of last year’s + a new growth.

[estación seca]

That's how they grow, and that's how old pseudobulbs die. Let the old one die completely; you will be able to pull it out with a very gentle tug when it's ready.

Now is not the time to divide anyway. Do that in late winter, just after it flowers.

[isurus79]

I am mostly in agree with with ES.

I am curious about the color of the mushy part. Is it as dark as in the photo or is it more yellow?

[Jinh]

It’s definitely dark brown and squishy.

[isurus79]

I would cut the bulb off at the base, but still leave the bottom of the rotted bulb attached so you don’t orphan that one back bulb. If you do that, can post pics of the aftermath too?

[Jinh]

I’ll post photos if I go that route. It actually feels a bit harder today, so hopefully it will just dry out instead of turning to mush. There is also a tiny little growth shooting out about midway up, not sure if there’s enough energy left to make a decent sized growth.

[isurus79]

You know, I've never seen a Catasetum absorbing its bulb start a new growth, though I've seen plenty of rotting bulbs throw new growths. I'd chop it.