Orchids not losing leaves (dormancy issue)

[Orchidreamer]

I have a calanthe and catasetum that are not losing leaves. The calanthe has a tiny new spike (probably it's a spike) growing from the side of its newest bulb, and the catasetum has a small new growth. Yet their leaves are still green as ever and firmly attached to the plant.

It's already mid-December, and I thought it's supposed to their dormant period. I've still been watering them normally since they don't seem to be entering dormancy, but should I start reducing water now? I've only recently started growing these plants so I'm not too sure what to do.

[Paul Mc]

Not so sure calanths have same dormancy as your catasetum.

[greenbean]

I recently got a deciduous calanthe too. Mine is still green, though the newest bulb finally seems to have matured and turned silver like the older bulbs. I've been holding back on water, keeping it just barely moist, and it seems to be sort of starting to go dormant, but not really. I have the same problem with my Dendrobium nobile, but since both are fairly young plants I'm attributing it to their "wanting" to grow bigger.

I worry about these orchids that have distinct dormancies as well. Hope someone can answer your questions!

[Shiffdaddy]

I read somewhere that if they havent gone dormant by january first to stop watering all together

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Don't water them! They're supposed to be dormant right now. I've lost them before to watering during dormancy. They can trick you like that!

Don't go by when they go deciduous, go by the seasons!

[isurus79]

If your temps are above 55 degrees, don't worry about rotting your Catasetum. It will be fine with water during its 'dormant' period. You can, however, cut off its leaves and withhold all water and that should send it into dormancy fairly quickly.

As for the Calanthe, I've never grown one before so I can't help with that.

[Orchidreamer]

Thanks for the replies!
Okay, I've been keeping both dry. My ctsm finally dropped one leaf, but it still has 3 more leaves. Its new growth seems to be growing slightly. My calanthe's leaves are starting to turn brown at the tips, but the rest are still green. Lol...I don't have the heart to cut the leaves off. I guess I'll wait and see what happens.

[euplusia]

I grow 1 calanthe vestita together with 300 catasetums and clowesias (besides cattleyas, stanhopeinae and botanicals). They can grow side by side.
The majority of catasetum species comes from central Amazonia, and needs only a short dormancy, if any. Many of these species have green leaves all over the year, and so have their hybrids. The growing season brings daily heavy rains, the rest period reduced rainfall, but the plants never dry out completely.
Other Catasetums (and Clowesias), mainly from the northern and southern zone of tropic like Mexiko and Argentina, are adapted to a longer and more pronounced rest period. And a group of Catasetums grows in areas with desert-like conditions in the dry season, as Catasetum expansum can withstand.
Without any more information given about your Catasetum, I would reduce watering to a degree of about 10-20 percent of summer, but not stop completely. Temperature at night should not be lower than 18 - 20 grees Celsius.
Continue until the new groth is at least 5-8 centimeters long and new roots begin to form.
Green leaves over a long time gives a healthy plant. Catasetums do not need a long rest period to form flowers. Most Catasetums can adapt easily to somewhat warmer conditions and a rest period with a little more water than in nature.
My Calanthe undergoes a rest period of 3 months with night temperatures of 16 degrees and day temp. of 20 degrees Celsius and more, together with Clowesia rosea and Ctsm. fimbriatum.
Hope this helps.

[Orchidreamer]

Thank you for the info!! Hmm interesting. Mine is Ctsm. Frilly Doris, which has fimbriatum and pileatum in one parent, and I wasn't able to find information on the other parent. It still has its three leaves, and its new growth is actually starting to grow! I even saw tiny root tips, how cute. Okay, I will water just a little bit. Btw, my current temps is around 65 deg F (18 deg C).

[Merlyn]

I also do like euplusia and let the Catasetum, Clowesia, Cycnoches tell ME if I should stop watering and haven't lost one yet to "watering in the dormant" season ! Dormant, to me, is when they drop all their leaves and THEN I stop watering and only resume when a new growth bud starts to open its leaves ! I've got 58 Catasetum alliance right now and they're all doing fine, approx 21 are in total dormancy and all the others are semi or non dormant. FWIW, my thinking is that if you cut off the leaves and stop watering you are FORCING the plant into dormancy which, in your environment, just might NOT be the right conditions for a normal dormancy. I don't force any of my chids to do something that my conditions don't tell it to do. It's worked for me going on 8 years. Oh yeh, I forgot, I learned it from my mentor who's been doing it for 30 years !!!!!