Cattelya rescue - or not

[debrasoon]

Ok I need some expert advice. I had a huge cattelya. NOID. Which was doing really well till it ended up with root rot. It was really sad
I have repotted, separated, etc. It was a large plant of maybe like 20 pseudobulbs which I split into 3 to try to rescue. This is the healthiest. However on coming back today, I noticed again root rot on a new shoot. There are two other new shoots. Should I give up on it? Is it bacterial or a virus? Been treated with fungicide regularly but the black root rot keeps happening. Scared it will spread.


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[tucker85]

Don't give up yet. Let the media get completely dry before watering. Make sure your fertilizer contains calcium. If it doesn't, then find another way to get calcium to the plant. Cut off any parts of the plant that have turned black and continue to use the fungicide. Next time you pot a cattleya, consider using a clay pot because the media will dry more quickly in a clay pot. Cattleyas are pretty hardy. Hopefully yours will recover. Good luck.

[stonedragonfarms]

I agree with all of the above; though given your climate I would most likely put the plant in a basket with a very open medium--think 50mm chunks of bark or simply put it in a clay pot with no media at all. Either way, it will be imperative to secure the plant so that it does not move until it's roots are established and clinging to either the empty pot or to the media/basket. You will need to water much more frequently, but most cattleyas like great airflow around the roots and (for me at any rate) grow better when the roots have the chance to dry down completely before being watered again--the only way that I can accomplish this is the greenhouse is either by mounting them, basket culture or a pot sans media.
Good luck, make sure you cut back to firm growth (and treat the wound with a fungicide); pot her up and water with the aim of never having the roots stay damp for longer than 6-8 hours,
Adam

[BettyE]

I have had good luck with these rescues. I do not have any mercy when it comes to rot! This is what do ( & have done ) I cut all rot out with a sterile tool; spray the cut with alcohol, then dust (the cut only) with sulphur powder. Works every time for me...BettyE

P.S.I only use Rays course LECA on my cattleya orchids.
Why? Because I have found that they grow the best in the LECA!

[tarev]

I think it still has a fighting chance. Just need to be drier I think. It looks better than my struggling Catt for sure

I almost killed mine with the cold weather over winter..but it is recovering after I moved it to a chunky cork media. It seems to like it better that way. I just have to water a little more often now, since it is really very warm here.

Good luck on your Catt!

[james mickelso]

Two things will save this cattleya. A lot less water and a good systemic fungicide. The charcoal it is planted in is very coarse which is good. But you keep it too wet. Hence the fungal/bacterial problems. Calcium will also help but less watering, to near bone dry is what will do the most good. The old pbulbs are nothing more than food storage at this point. It is the new growth that is important. Until that new growth gets roots of their own, it isn't necessary to water so much. The old pbulbs have enough energy to support the new growth so less water will help stop the rot. And a good strong anti fungal/bacterial will also help.

[debrasoon]

I have been away a week so I suspect it has been getting too much water. Chopped off the worst bits again and again, HUGE charcoal, the roots are actually suspended in the air and sprayed lots of Thirum, Giving it a few more weeks. Thanks all for the advice.


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[Laserbeak]

Have you tried Physan-20 and/or original Listerine?

[Optimist]

Removing the media from near the roots may help. The old protocal was to have 1/2 to 2/3 of the pot filled with non saturateable media. Rocks, broken pottery, for example. Only the last inch or two depending on the size of the root ball should be wettable. This was in a book on orchid care published in 1911.

Catleys thrive in only lava rock. If you tend to be an over waterer, then use lava.

---------- Post added at 07:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:36 AM ----------

Oh. Also roots can be stained by that charcol. Are the roots black, or are they stained black?

[debrasoon]

Ugh both. One new plant shoot was growing ok but when I checked today, saw black root rot at the base. I think there is bacteria which I can't get rid off in this plant. Will check again tomorrow.


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