So do you remove the thin sheath on your catts/dens?

[Katt]

Do you?
I see the ugly yellowed/brownish sheaths on there and do sometimed peel them off, they are so thin they aren't that easy to remove really.
Do you? Will it hurt anything? It doesn't seem to hurt mine but lets here it.

[snow]

you can if you have to
sometimes they will harbour insects
i personnally leave them alone, unless it is really sticking out

[isurus79]

Only if the buds get stuck on old sheaths. Otherwise I leave 'em alone.

[Ray]

Are we talking about the stuff on the pseudobulbs or the sheath around the buds?

[cb977]

If you're talking about the papery stuff around the bulbs/canes, I remove it. Looks nicer and removes a nifty little hiding place for critters.

[smweaver]

I generally leave the flower sheaths on cattleyas alone. I figure that the plants should know (hopefully) what they're doing. In the past I did experiment--partly from an irrational anxiety for the growing buds within--by removing the sheaths. But the buds promptly dried up, turned yellow and fell off. So now I try not to play God so much and leave well enough alone.

[Paul]

If you're referring to the ones covering the pbs, then yes if they are loose and come off easily. If they seem really tight, I don't bother.

[Ray]

Ditto

[Leisurely]

I remove the dried sheaths because they do harbor insects. If a plant has any scale you will frequently find that aside from what you see, there will also be some hidden underneath the sheathing material. The little critters aren't stupid because they know that it is a safe haven from the killer sprays that we use.
Katt: The sheaths come off very easily if you wet them first letting them soak for a couple of minutes and then peel them off. What you can't easily peel can be quickly removed with a very soft tooth brush.

[jason woodrue]

I have been wondering if the "papery sheaths" create a warm and humid little blanket area for new roots and new growth to get started.
Here's my recent experience:
I repotted a Cat hybrid (Lctna) and it went thru the usual period of shock at being repotted (repot shock is normal right?). it now seems to be making progress again...
Anyway, in repotting the Cat, a "papery sheath" came off the largest bulb to reveal a new growth that had just started. But this new growth isnt doing anything now, but the rest of the plant seems to have recovered. I am wondering if the sheath helped to protect the new growth - keep it wrapped in a baby blanket? By removing the sheath did i basically kill the baby? the growth doesnt look dead, it just isnt doing anything. maybe it will get going again?

your thoughts?

Jason