catt's leaves yellowing - Orchid Board

Carl · #1 03-29-2009, 12:26 PM

Hello Everyone,
I have a new catt that I purchased from a grower in FLA a few weeks ago. I live in VA and the catt was doing well until this week. The pseudobulbs are somewhat shriveled and two of the leaves on older pseudobulbs are yellowing. I began watered the catt once a week and the pseudobulbs still did not plump up compared to my other catts. The grower said that they water theirs about 3x a week. So I started watering 2x a week as it is cooler here in VA than FLA. It have white, plump roots all over the top of the mix and is currently in flower. What could be causing the yellowing leaves? I am reluctant to repot as it is really in flower--8 all together. What should I do? Help!

kiki-do · #2 03-29-2009, 02:03 PM

Hi Carl,
If you are giving it high light and enough water and it's yellow and wrinkled, I suspect perhaps old broken down medium that is holding too much moisture. Even if you have healthy roots on top, doesn't mean something underneath isn't happening. Pictures would be so much better to help you. I'm not sure about Florida/Va area and watering times per week, but I never water mine that often. I always would rather have them dry than overly wet. Does the medium have a smell to it?

Perhaps others will chime in here.

Carl · #3 03-29-2009, 04:04 PM

Here is a photo of the leaves...the mix does not smell bad. Would it be bad to try and repot when in flower? Thanks!

kiki-do · #4 03-29-2009, 04:31 PM

Oh Carl, that doesn't look that bad. It looks like normal aging of an older leaf. I don't think the pseudobulbs look too bad either. It's probably just giving to the blooms. I wish someone else would say their thoughts. I really looks okay to me from that angle.

Carl · #5 03-29-2009, 06:36 PM

I am just concerned as they have yellowed over the past week. Thanks for the insight!

kiki-do · #6 03-30-2009, 12:38 AM

Well, hopefully someone else might put some thought into it and help out. I could be wrong, I'm no expert.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #7 03-30-2009, 12:53 AM

Try taking a picture of the roots. Although I think that it's okay as well. True, the pseudobulbs may be a bit shriveled, it's by no means going out soon. Yellow leaves on old pseudobulbs are okay. Yellow leaves on new pseudobulbs, find the cause of the problem quick...

Try the twice a week regimen of watering for the next few weeks and see how it goes. If you can find the new pseudobulbs and see if they're also shriveled, then there might not be enough water (possibly due to root damage). Old pseudobulbs wrinkly, may not be cause for worry. New pseudobulbs wrinkly, try looking into the roots and figure out a watering regimen that works.

If you didn't already figure it out, here's a tip...Catts bloom from the sheaths of new pseudobulbs.

learning2letgo · #8 03-30-2009, 08:22 AM

Even IF it comes to repotting while still in bloom... I have attempted that before and it did it not adversely affect the blooming cycle of the plant... You just have to be EXTREMELY careful and have someone else help you... Can you inspect your lower roots? I had an oda. intergeneric that had crystallized roots even though it looked fine from the topside of the plant and was blooming.

http://www.orchids.org/culture/cattleyabeginner.pdf

Read over that topic and see if it helps you any...