honey as nutrient for a catt - Page 3 - Orchid Board

sii · #21 07-31-2011, 03:41 PM

It's possible the humidity in my aquarium is not higher because I haven't put as much water. Also, it's not closed off. I could add more water to the aquarium if that would help.

Cinnamon won't hurt. Ken, do you put it on just once and leave it?

Otis226 · #22 07-31-2011, 05:09 PM

You're rootless catt doesn't look too bad at all to me. Still a lot of life in the pbubls and rhizome. Here's some pics of one I've been trying everything I can think of to bring back. My neighbor did his best to drown it in a ceramic pot with no drainage, I repotted it at first in orchid bark mix in a way too large orchid pot and kept it in my lanai in an east exposure. After 1 1/2 months it sprouted a deep purple new growth. After another few weeks, a second growth, (also purple), became evident. Then it just stopped completly. The pbulbs shriveled even more and the leaves became very lifeless. At this point I tried a modified 'sphag and bag' approach for about a month, but that did nothing. Finally, I repotted it, still rootless, but with the two new, stalled growths in a smaller orchid pot in med sized lava rock. I hung it in a palm tree out back and spray it daily alternating with B-12 solution and liquid seaweed. It's been out there getting natural FL wind, rain and dappled sunlight for the better part of another month, and still nothing. I won't give up until its completely brown and blows away! Hang in there, orchids, especially catts are tough.
Good luck,
Tony

sii · #23 07-31-2011, 08:59 PM

Thanks for that Tony. No, I won't give up. This is why I search online for the 'miracle' cure. There probably isn't any.

The advantage you have is the heat and humidity (yup, I remember Florida's heat - was there last year)

I've put cinnamon on the end. Don't know if I'll keep it on the rhizome all night. But I'll keep it out back until Friday. When the KLN gets here, I'll ask for advice again.

glengary54 · #24 07-31-2011, 10:15 PM

sii - Hang in there, your plant looks a bit stressed both is doing fine. Unfortunately bifolate species (which your plant has in it's bacround) are very particular about when they want to be repotted. If you repot of have root loss at the wrong time, you could wait up to a full year for new roots to grow. Continue to keep you plant in a high humidity environment, misting it occaisionally and hope for the best.

Ironwood · #25 07-31-2011, 10:24 PM

Yes you leave the cinnamon on. I have retreated some of the stubborn ones after 2 or 3 months but I suspect the good effect is probably used up after a couple of weeks. If you mist the cinnamon lightly for a couple of days it sticks and won't wash off. Looking at the pictures I see some blackening around some of the eyes so if the eyes on the lead pseudobulb are damaged it will take a little longer to get one of the back bulbs eyes to activate. I would coat the whole base and set it on a bed of damp sphagnum in your terrarium and cover terrarium or just in a bag with sphagnum and you don't have to take it out for watering as long as the moss stays damp. I leave plants in bags for months without ever opening them up.

Here is an example of a mini phal (one of 2 plants) that I bought mid December 2010 and both finished blooming late winter early spring. One developed new growth right away and this one did nothing and towards the middle of July I noticed the lead leaf was yellowing indicating a problem in the crown. So on July 14 I sprinkled cinnamon on crown area and base. Today I noticed what I would say is a new plant starting up from base.

Nearly all the plants that I have treated have responded, but I have Cattleya Caudebec 'Carmela' HCC/AOS that I got from Cloud's Orchids that has not put on any new growth since I got it in June of 2009, although it has put out new roots. Gave it the cinnamon treatment 6 to 8 months ago and still nothing. So it doesn't always work, but then again no cure is sure.

The one good thing about cinnamon (no 2 good things) is it won't hurt the plant and it makes it smell good.