Watering Catelleyas ?

[TRANCEBOY]

I have noticed that the pseudobulb have wrinckled.
All have been repoted on wooden baskets and have better gro special orchid mix. I placed a mesh to hold the mix and have placed them where their is shade, sun and wind. I water them on saturdays since everyone tells me they only need water once a week.

I have heard that to much water can cause fungus .

Right now they look nice and green but the psudobulbs look a bit wrinckled . Should i increase the watering ???


Pleae help >?


Also the adding of fertilizer. Is that considered as watering ?
I am mixing the fertilizer in a milk gallon and pouring it on the roots but since its a basket all drips out . Am i doing the right thing ??

[james mickelso]

Depends on where you live. So. Florida or Michigan? As to how to water....each to their own. I dunk my orchids in a 5 gallon bucket because I use RO water due to the poor quality of my water so I waste less this way. But most of my orchids are rescues and cast-offs from other collections so I don't worry about virus. I fertilize at every watering diluting it to a 1/4 strength. As to your wrinkling pbulb, this is normal as it ages and especially if it is pushing a new bud. It has stored energy for this purpose. Catts do well in basket culture and need more water. Put it in a shallow pan and water it that way. Use the water that runs through the basket and run it through the orchid a few times. Then water your house plants or trees with it.

[TRANCEBOY]

I live in south florida.. Miami to be exact.. The days have been in the 90s nd the nights in the mid 50s ...When i got them from the the lady at the street the bulbs seemed to be bigger and fatter now they look a little thinner and wrinckled.

Since i was told that that orchids dont like alot of water i do it once a week in the fear of fungus.

Mine had labels and i threw them out.. I just like them for the flowers.

Ohh when i removed them from where they where at the roots where in bad shape .. though the plant looked beautiful ? Most where completly soggy but in the baskets i have a feeling they will never get like this.


I was thinking maybe wedensdays and saturdays or sundays >????

[tucker85]

The way to judge hydration on a cattleya is by looking at the lead pseudobulb (the newest growth). Ideally the lead pseudobulb should be plump and not wrinkled. Pseudobulbs in the rear are often wrinkled and it's very difficult to get them to rehydrate. Often the roots are bad on those old pseudobulbs which makes hydration even more difficult. Leave the old bulbs in place though, it adds to the overall energy of the plant. As long as the lead pseudobulb is plump, the plant is getting enough water.

Cattleyas do well in basket culture in South Florida. What you're trying to achieve is a rapid wet/dry cycle. Cattleyas do very well when they dry quickly and are watered often. If a cattleya is mounted on a piece of wood it can dry out within an hour or two so it can be watered every day. In a pot it may take several days to dry out so watering once a week makes more sense and it's easier for the grower. A cattleya in a basket may dry out in 24 hours. This time of year I water my cattleyas in baskets twice a week when it's warm. When we get a cold spell I hold off watering until the weather warms up again. During the spring and summer I water three times a week. Make sure the medium is drying out before you water again. You can mist the visible roots to give the plant a little more water while you're waiting for the medium to dry out.

Keep an eye on your plants and you'll begin to get a feeling for how much water they need. Good luck.

[Stray59]

TRANCEBOY:
Hello - everyone has different conditions, so you have to adapt your watering to your conditions. That just takes time and practice, but Cattleyas are very forgiving and irt takes a long time to kill them due to lack of water. You are right fungus can be a problem, but rarely in slat baskets; fungus starts in soggy, over watered medium that has poor air circulation - the baskets usually have plenty of circulation.
If you are concerned you are not getting the medium wet enough with your waterings (a common prob with baskets) you can try this trick I learned. I take a large sheet of tin foil, set the basket in the middle of it and fold the foil up around the basket; then I water and I let the basket stand in water for 20-25 minutes; that way I know the water soaked in well and I don't have to keep repeating the watering.
I agree with Tucker - you can't judge by psuedo wrinkling - some always carry some wrinkles so it is difficult to judge this way. A Cat that does not get enough water will be slow to put out roots and will also have stunted, often deformed leaves. Monitor the new buds for root growth and new bud formation. That's the best way!
Steve

[TRANCEBOY]

gREAT TIPS... I

[TRANCEBOY]

Since we have been in the 80s and windy they are drying out to much i think... 2 OF the onces im concerned about came with rotten roots already so gettign them back to health has been a challenge. I will up to 2 times a week and let you guys know how they are doing.

I hear alot of people talking about dunking their orchids in buckets. How is this done. Does that not transmit diseases from one orchid to another if the same bucket and water are used ?

[james mickelso]

It can but that also depends on how big your collection is and if there are diseases already in it. I have a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with RO water. I have to dunk them because the water here is not conducive to good orchid culture. Too much salt in it. I use RO water that I buy in a machine. It would take too much water if I watered by pouring the water on them. I dunk the orchid up to the rim of the pot. Remember that the orchids you have that have damaged roots will not grow new roots but will send forth new growth which is what you want. When this happens depends on what species you have. The old pbulbs will supply the new buds with enough energy to get them to maturity. If they are in baskets, water as often as you like but remember that the media will dry by the atmospheric drying and not the roots of the plants. So water accordingly.

[Stray59]

James M. is giving you some really valuable advice. But, I also want to stress the air conditions will make a HUGE difference in the need for water. If you have warm air that is constantly blowing on the sides of a basket all day, that is going to sap the water out very quickly - once the water is gone from the medium, then the roots start loosing moisture; you also have to consider the amount of moisture loss from the exposed stems and leaves.
I would be sure and at least use the "2- inches-down rule"; usually that is a "1-inch-down" but with Cats and the like, I use 2 inches.
It's really complicated so be sure to follow the directions closely -
I just stick my finger in the medium about 2 inches down somewhere near the roots. When it is totally dry 2 inches down, I water.
Baskets can be really tricky. Some need to be hydrated every other day, some every other week - there are soooo many factors. I hope the above rule helps some.
If your plant is not actively putting on roots, don't water heavy if at all, but mist heavily and frequently.
Best of luck and Happy New Year!
Steve

[james mickelso]

Very true. I use a different method and you need to develope your own methods. The way I determine if an orchid needs water is to hold it and feel how much it weighs. I start with the orchid that is dry. I pick it up and feel how light it is. Then I water it very well. Once watered and drained, I pick it up and feel how heavy it is. It should be noticeable. Very in the case of larger plants in gallon pots. Then as the week progresses I feel how light the pot is getting and when it is lightweight again (usually for me that is around a week or two in winter and a few days in summer) I water heavily. I dunk the pot twice letting it drain between the first and second dunk. This way I know the orchid has been watered sufficiently. I fertilize at 1/4 strength (winter) or 1/2 strength (summer) at every watering and use a coarser media so I can water more often somewhat akin to basket culture. Since I dip it twice I don't need to flush the media very often. The first dunk wets the media with whatever acculmulated salts are on it and then the second washes it out. If you miss a week or two with most orchids they can withstand a miss here and there (except on extremely hot days). Orchids are a lot more resilient than most people understand. Most people overwater there plants. Just read the threads here to get an idea how often.