Divide a cattleya?

[james mickelso]

Brooke, time will tell. I also have repotted many, many orchids in the dead of winter. I have grown many, many awarded orchids in my long and successful orchid career. In the first pic I still, no matter how hard I look, do not see a green growing tip. I am glad there was one. I am very happy she was able to right this orchid. Had she left it alone it still would have a new bud. My opinion of letting the orchid be until that new growing bud matured is still valid. It's my opinion. Why it was so important to right this orchid is beyond me. But I guess it is important to you, and Blackvine. It wasn't important to the orchid. I've grown orchids up, down, sideways, and even upside down. It didn't matter to the orchid. But nearly all the orchids I've grown, no matter what their orientation, have thrived if I left them alone until such time as they grew a better root system. I don't grow orchids pretty. I just grow them well. Just my opinion.

[Brooke]

"Why it was so important to right this orchid is beyond me. But I guess it is important to you, and Blackvine. It wasn't important to the orchid."


Blackvine asked a question and like you, I gave my opinion. It is important to this orchid because she wants to water once per week. She had a basically mounted plant with exposed roots that will need more moisture than a once a week watering. I gave her my opinion as to what she needed to do to suit her and the Catt.


"I don't grow orchids pretty. I just grow them well."


I try to do both.

When you keep saying "bud" are you referring to the eye or growing point where the new growth will appear?

Brooke

[james mickelso]

Growth bud, or as some orchidists call it a "shoot", as opposed to new pbulb. I respect your opinion as I respect everyone's opinion. I express mine and having read thousands of questions here and on other boards by hobbyists who have either just started or have been growing orchids for only a few years, I try to make them think and give them options. For this query I hoped to show that it isn't always necessary to change something that isn't needed or to show that there are alternatives such as letting an orchid be until there is a better time to change something, and the possible repercussions of changing something. I've read lots, and lots, and lots of books but I've grown thousands of orchids. Most have been rescues or in pretty bad shape and I try to make silk purses out of them. I seldom ever purchase orchids that have been grown commercially such as Carter and Holmes or McClellan and Son's, ect.. I rescue the dead and dying. And most of the time I succeed. I also, from years of rescuing orchids have learned many of the pitfalls of nurturing sick, diseased, or badly grown orchids. I always hate to see someone who has an orchid that needs better care, succumb because they took advice from this board but didn't really have an understanding of how to do something. So this isn't an argument but more about strongly held opinions.

[blackvine]

Honestly, I find these respectful disagreements very enlightening. Just as I learned many years ago in gardening . . . it is art and philosophy as well as science. Science is a beginning, but growing anything can be carried out in a number of ways. Thanks, all!! P.S. I was looking for a "thank you" smily, but liked this llama guy. Has nothing to do with anything, but it's cute!!

[jocierk]

I am curious as to how this plant is doing? I have the same plant, also shipped to me from Chicago and it arrived in a very similar condition. I was not very happy about the crappy looking bulbs and bent leaves, not to mention I was also forced to repot cause it wouldn't stay in the pot. Mine is doing fine, nothing super bad to report, but also not growing quite as well as some of my other Catts. I was just curious about yours?