A seedling/bloom size Monn. Millennium Magic'Witchcraft' in Zone 8b indoors HELP - Orchid Board

Jaxx10 · #1 09-20-2021, 07:19 PM

Edit: add location of plant.

I just received my 1st Catasetum - Monn. Millennium Magic 'Witchcraft'. It came from Hawaii so I'm scared because I'm in Virginia zone 8a and I am not sure if I continue to water it and fertilize. It's 73 here so I'm wondering if it's going to go into dormancy prematurely. What should I do? I lifted a little from the pot to see roots and it's almost on at the rim of the moss. So I'm thinking it needs to be reported into something big, I know I can't report it til all leaves have fallen and right before active growth in Feb... Is that correct? I'm struggling with videos because ilthey are either in grow lights or greenhouse or in a tropical place

... HELP!!

camille1585 · #2 09-21-2021, 03:04 AM

Hi Jaxx10, welcome to Orchidboard!

I hope you don't mind that I deleted your near duplicate post that you posted in an old thread. You'll probably get more replies in a new thread than reviving an old one, and duplicate posts can make it difficult to know what advice has/hasn't been given.

That looks like a nice healthy Catasetum, and it's nowhere near dormancy. You can continue watering/fertilizing it until it shows signs of dormancy. As to the pot size, being a bit snug in the pot is not a problem, and with this orchid family it's normal for it to fill the pot with roots!

Where did you place it at your home? These plants need a lot of light in the growing season. I don't have a greenhouse and don't put my Cats under lights because the plant is too high to fit on those shelves, so it lives in a south facing window where it gets a lot of sun every day.

Jaxx10 · #3 09-21-2021, 07:50 AM

Thanks for the lookout Camille,. My plant is in a S - SW facing filtered window. I am planning to buy a heating pad since my house is at a constant 72-73 degrees, and because its coming from wonderful weather Hawaii I'm afraid of shocking it into dormancy with the change in temp.

Also that little nub in the pick is almost detached from the main plant, is that ok ... Is that the old growth?

DirtyCoconuts · #4 09-21-2021, 08:33 AM

tell us the conditions in the growing area please

i grow these outside and for smaller one i let the leaves dictate the timing- these leaves are still healthy so i would keep watering and feeding until i see them start to yellow

i think that the move from hawaii to VA is pretty big change but the seasons are at least the same.

let it go slow and dont worry too much this year because of the dramatic change

Jaxx10 · #5 09-21-2021, 08:46 AM

Edit to add pic of current and possible location.

It's on my computer desk shelf, which is about 1 foot away or so from window. Window is facing S-SW, I have those cheap plastic blinds as well as a brown sheer curtain. The temp in the room ranges from 73-78 depending if me and my husband are gaming at the same time..but this is mostly in the evening/nights. Humidity is in the 50-60%.

My plan: putting it on a heating pad to raise temp to make it more ideal, maybeeee put it in my bathroom where I have a huge frosted window that faces NE, my other orchids (phals and dens) sit and thriving. My husband takes morning hot showers and I evening showers, so my orchids seem to love it, but no way of putting a heating pad there so I'm not sure.

What do you guys think? 🧐🧐🧐

WaterWitchin · #6 09-21-2021, 10:08 AM

No need for a heating pad. Catasetum likes lots of light... a NE window is less than ideal. You could raise the blind and perhaps even move the curtain and it would be fine. But acclimate slowly to light if it's shining directly on it. The little nubbin is last year's bulb. Leave it alone. Look at Catasetum threads for videos by isurus79 and watch them.

Here's his latest, which is pretty close to where yours is at presently Autumn Catasetum Growing Guide

Shadeflower · #7 09-21-2021, 12:10 PM

who here spotted the dog?

10 point bonus if you did.

You need glasses if you had to go back and look

Sry just joking as I did not spot the dog for ages and then I was like hold on there's a cute little dog sleeping in the corner on one of those.

And the reason I was studying that picture is because that's a really cool looking computer desk.

WaterWitchin · #8 09-21-2021, 12:19 PM

Saw dog before I saw computer table. Beagle mix perhaps?

estación seca · #9 09-21-2021, 12:37 PM

Welcome!

Jaxx10 · #10 09-21-2021, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

who here spotted the dog?

10 point bonus if you did.
30 points if you saw the other dog 😂

You need glasses if you had to go back and look

Sry just joking as I did not spot the dog for ages and then I was like hold on there's a cute little dog sleeping in the corner on one of those.

And the reason I was studying that picture is because that's a really cool looking computer desk.

. Thanks, bought on Amazon. 👍

---------- Post added at 01:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:26 PM ----------

Also I've seen his videos, super informative!! Also ...did u guys see the 2nd dog? @waterwitchin you are correct she's a beagle mix... Needy as hell but a good girl.