Peel and Flip

[DebsC]

My greenhouse is full of catts in sheath! I couldn't be happier. Rewards for a hard summer of feeding, watering and babying the girls.

But, Blc Goldenzelle Passion has put the fear in me!! That sheath as black as night made me take a good look around and sure enough...there are others.

Not black ones but sheaths that have just enough of the green or dried growth cupping it that it holds water.

So I took each and every orchid in sheath down and peeled the growth back. I was so nervous!!! I was afraid just the slightest wrong move and I'd break the stem or something. It's happened before!

Does anyone else peel them back?

[cb977]

I do
I remove all the papery sheath material and give the stem a quick wipe with some Listerine.

Seems like those sheaths would make a happy home for some critter we don't want around

[Gin]

I do on some of them , but not all , hate ending up with a sheath of rotted buds .
Only thing is if some have a lot of buds the stem won't hold them up like it should with out the support of the sheath .. Gin

[quiltergal]

I wonder if you could slit the sheath down near the bottom so water could drain out?

[Dorothy]

I had peeled them back. I had read that it help to prevents little buggies from hiding. I had found that some do lose support. I also read how it impairs the plant from spiking from that sheath so I stopped. I have been careful to wet the medium and not the plant.
I find it to be a personal decision

[Ross]

I'm wondering if we arent talking about two different things, here? I think the white papery stuff everyone talks about removing is on the pseudobulbs, right? I think this question was the flower sheath. I feel splitting the flower sheath is OK if that's what it takes.

[Lagoon]

I'm a bit confused ... we're talking about the flowering sheath, right?
Not the sarong that covers the bulbs, right?

If indeed it is the bud sheath and theres' moisture involved then I would poke a small hole or peel back as needed.

The sarong, I feel the same way - I don't always remove it, aslong as their is no moisture glinging and making it all goopy. Sometimes the sarong just peels back and dries up on it own.

[Dorothy]

I was talking about the papery sheath

[cb977]

Me too

[Gin]

I was talking about the sheath (bud cover ) Gin