Clowesetum near death

[fudJy23]

Hi everyone!
My friend got this little Clowesetum at the local orchid show off the member show table, so I believe it was a division of someone's plant. I don't know if there were other pseudobulbs on it when she got it. Anyways, I think she was watering it over the winter, which you aren't supposed to do with catasetum type orchids and then just kept watering it and planted it in moss in the spring.

Anyways, she was having little confidence in keeping it alive and asked if I would take it and see if I can revive it. I've pulled it out of its mossy bed and took a picture of it in all its naked glory.

What do you all think? I figured it wouldn't hurt to let it dry out a bit. I may try to give it a physan bath this weekend and then mist it (and the bed of moss) with water that has a little bit of superthrive in it. Does that sound like a good plan?

[Orchid Whisperer]

Skip the Physan and Superthrive unless there is a good reason. Physan is a disinfectant. Superthrive has a rooting hormone in it. Neither is a quick-fix miracle tonic.

I see a single pseudobulb and some roots. Are the roots good or rotten? If the roots are good, can you try treating it like any other Catasetum entering into fall-winter?

[katrina]

Chances are the little pbulb is too weak to produce another growth and if it were mine I would pitch it and start over w/a healthy plant.

However, if you really want to try and see if it there is anything left in this little thing...no more water for now. The roots look gone anyway. Withhold water and hope you you can trigger it's normal dormancy/come alive habit. So, no more water and if it's able to produce another growth you'll start watering again when the new growth gets some roots.

Given that it's so teeny and weak, if it does manage to produce another growth then I would start watering w/a little bit of fert water as soon as it has roots but very sparingly and make sure the growth itself doesn't stay wet for long or you could risk rotting it. Also, do not get water down into the new growth or it'll be a goner. Just the roots...and be very careful.

Like I said, I don't believe it's strong enough to do anything but...strange things happen sometimes. Keep us posted on what you decide to do and how it goes.