What to do with dead back bulbs?

[Blondie]

Hello, all. Well, we figured out that my leaves were dying of natural causes on my brassia. Whew! But now it seems that the back bulb wants to pass on to the next life, too. In fact, it looks like another back bulb might be on its way out also. I was baaaad with watering the orchid this week, so I gave it a nice good drink this morning and then took these photos.

What do you do with a dead back bulb? Do you remove it?

Also, about the papery stuff around the other bulbs. Should I remove those?

Thanks!

[Blondie]

Lotta lookers, no takers?

[Oscarman]

Originally Posted by Blondie

Lotta lookers, no takers?

Indeed...50 counting me!

So Blondie it looks like your Brassia is doing well with lots of strong new growths. Great job! Possibly your plant simply does not need some of the older pseudobulbs.

When backbulbs die off, I tend to leave them on until they are good and dry. I feel they must be doing some good to the plant up to that point. If I was repotting or if there was a disease responsible for them dying, I would immediately cut them off with a sterilized blade.

[mother_earth]

I twist them a few times and they come right off. Dust a little cinnamon on the wound. These plants are tuff. Brenda

[mother_earth]

I give the bulb a couple of twists and it comes away from the rest of the plant. You can dust the wound with a little cinnamon. Remove the papery stuff as it's a good place for insects to hide.

[Lagoon]

I actually did this yesterday with a couple of yellowing bulbs, took the dead roots with it, repotted for a new year of growth.
Couple of twists and turns should remove them

[Blondie]

Oh, thank you!! I will do some surgery on those papery things soon and will wait until the bulb is All the Way Dead and then get rid of it. This forum is so helpful. Many many thanks!

[mother_earth]

You can just pull the papery coating off with your fingers.