How long in Sheath? - Orchid Board

Jkelee · #1 05-07-2008, 11:22 PM

Hello,

I have 3 Catts in Sheath at the moment, and have been for some time... months. I don't watch the time ever that closely on how long. I really don't know how long a catt stays in sheath, until the bud pushes out? At the moment, I can't even see or feel anything inside, even after a few months I think of being in 'sheath'.

Can anyone tell me if this long time is normal?

kiki-do · #2 05-07-2008, 11:32 PM

I don't know, really. They bloom when they're good and ready. I find patience is something needed with these babies. I have had one stay in sheathe form for months!
If you don't see anything, it's probably going to be a while yet. Give it a good talking to.

Jkelee · #3 05-08-2008, 08:00 AM

I've been waiting and waiting, petting them, singing, etc. Nothing comes

BikerDoc5968 · #4 05-08-2008, 09:00 AM

I don't have an exact time to wait but from what I've learned about catts is that they can have dry sheaths that is a sheath withiut contents. Don't know ehy it happens....not smart enough for that...

But, like you, I have 2 catts which have been grown under the same conditions and as you can see from the 1st two pics, dry sheaths. . . . and I have been waiting months for something to happen but when they begin to yellow, I think it's all over! The last pic, if you look closely, has a shadow of the emerging spike. It's color is healthy and this has only been a month or so....
Sorry, some of the pic are not great, but I had surgery yesterday on my hand and, well, you get

Jkelee · #5 05-08-2008, 09:07 AM

Hey Bikerdoc! At least yours are looking FAT! Mine are just thin and skinny, looking like nothing inside

I guess they're wasted huh??

BikerDoc5968 · #6 05-08-2008, 09:28 AM

Like I said, the 1st two pics are of a catt that I don't believe will never finish....don't know why because the other one was grown under the exact same conditions!

cb977 · #7 05-08-2008, 09:31 AM

I've had a number of my Catts come up with blind sheaths. I have no idea of the reason for this happening...it's just something I've learned to live with

The one thing I have been told is to give these plants more light if it continues to happen.

kiki-do · #8 05-08-2008, 09:36 AM

Then again, I've had sheathes that turned black and I left them alone and twice now I ended up with buds still.
I think yellowing wouldn't be a good sign of activity...but still, black? Who knew?????

Dorothy · #9 05-08-2008, 10:23 AM

Jackie - the one thing that orchids do teach you is patience ..

What type of light are you providing your catt?
What kind of fertilizer are you using as high nitrogen will actually impede blooming.
Orchids will run on their schedule more consistently when they are provided optimal individual conditions to grow in .. A good assessment of those conditions and tweaking of them may help your catt further along in general but it seems many orchids have a mind of their own ..

Dorothy · #10 05-08-2008, 10:28 AM

Sue, I wonder if 'blind sheaths' are a sign of the catt not mature or that the catt isn't 'ready' to flower allowing the plant to strengthen more (by producing more psuedobulbs) before sending out blooms? Might catts need that support of it's colony before doing so?

Just a random thought

Perhaps Mauro, Peter NL or pheli would know

Dekejis also grows lots of mini-catts ..