Cattleya advice?

[tasha]

How often do you have to water them? I just got three new ones.

[ArronOB]

Re the brown sheaths: it’s not really possible that the dried sheath is preventing the new leaf from opening. However I don’t think it hurts to remove them - it gives pests one less place to hide and is one less place for water to accumulate.

Re the slightly wrinkled nature: how long have these been planted in the current baskets, were the older leaves wrinkled before the current potting, and are the new leaves wrinkled? I’m thinking if the damage is limited to the older leaves then it may predate the current potting, and if the older pseudobulbs have no attached roots then they may never rehydrate. It’s the new growth that will reflect the nature of your current practices.

Also, nothing happens quickly in orchidland so even if they are rehydrating nicely it may take a couple of months.

I’d be inclined not to change anything, but wait a bit longer. Let the sphagnum do its work.

[Cheddarbob14]

Did you take the pics with a phone camera or regular camera? If it was with a phone, make sure you are holding the phone horizontally vs vertically. As far as cattleyas, I'll let the pros handle that advice, I just got my 1st cattleya to bloom in the last week (I've had some for 4 years )

[Kilmiquix]

Originally Posted by Selmo

Try dunking the basket in a bucket of water for 5-10 minutes. Fill the bucket with just enough water so the bark doesn’t float out the top of the basket. This will give the bark time to absorb more water.
In the fifth photo it looks like the plant is dehydrated. Do the leaves feel hard/stiff or do they feel leathery/rubbery?

The leaves feel stiff, no worries there. I soak the baskefs about once a month when they get kelpmax. Maybe i will soak these once a week (without kelpmax). There has been nonfurther deterioration, but our hottest months are still coming.

[isurus79]

Is it just me, or does picture 3 show a major scale and mealy infestation?

I wouldn't remove the sheath yet. Its probably the only thing holding up that floppy little leaf.

What are you doing for cal/mag supplementation?

[Kilmiquix]

Woah! I think I missed a few of these posts. Let me go back a bit.

@Tasha - I water these every day as they hang outside in South Florida and are in very small baskets. There is a bit of sphagnum in there to help them try to keep moist.

@ArronOB - They were newly purchased in December 2018 from box store. Orchid in a bag. Impulse purchase. They had virtually no roots that were not desiccated. They have since put off many new roots. Miracle!

@Cheddarbob14: Congrats on getting it to bloom! I have since figured out the photo issue, thanks! (I need to open the picture on my laptop and rotate 360 degrees; then it displays properly.)

@isurus79 - I think what you see is sphagnum. There is no scale or mealybug infestation on these. I am obsessive about checking for pests. I use MSU fertilizer once a week with no other additives. KelpMax once a month.

So far, these little plants are growing nice roots and are not "wilting" any further.

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! If you have any other suggestions, please let me know!