Confusion regarding my new Clowesia Rebecca Northen Mikkabi

[UsagiGreenPaw]

I just received this little clowesia and I'm a little confused as to what to do with it.

I'm a little familiar with castinae orchids with my Monnierara Mill. Magic Witchcraft doing well. At least I think it's doing well. I cant see the roots but the 9 buds it popped out look nice. I'm not assuming these two plants enjoy the same treatment, but I do know there is a leaf loss and dormancy period for both.

The website where I purchased this new one, the clowesia, said it liked medium light. It's also a little wobbly in its pot. I took it out of the pot to check for nasties and a lot of the roots are papery thin.
I've read some people cut off old roots on catasetum types because roots from old bulbs dont last long on their own anyway. Is that true here?

Is this plant in dormacy right now and needing a reduction in watering? It has this little bulb growing out of the big bulb, but I dont see any new roots growing (except for off the weird new bulb growing in the middle. There's one.) and I dont see any flower spike.

I'm just uncertain as to where this one is in its growth cycle and how to jump in with care. I'm also uncertain if it's mikabi or mikkabi. Lol
Thank you!

[fishmom]

Do not water! The plant is dormant, so it does not need water or fertilizer. The parent bulb (the largest one) is still nice and plump, so it is doing fine.

Personally, I do not cut the old roots when I repot a catasetum. They will help anchor the plant in the pot until the new roots get well established, and they also may retain some diminished ability to take up moisture when you start watering later. You can leave the bulb loose, without media, until you see a new growth start. Then pot it up so that the newest growth will have plenty of room to expand. Don't water until the new roots are 2-3 inches long.

Have you read the culture information on Fred Clark's website? Sunset Valley Orchids - Superior Hybrids for Orchid Enthusiasts

[UsagiGreenPaw]

*nods*
Ok. Yeah. It seems...pretty dormant, the little growth was baffling me.
That sounds like typical dormancy care. No water. Cool dry place. Watch for extreme wrinkling. Easy enough!

I'll keep it bare root and let it rest for now. I'm excited for the fragrance and the delicate pink flowers i can hopefully encourage!

[fishmom]

It's not rare for one of these to sprout a little extra growth during the season, in my experience. I suspect the new growth and roots will come from the main bulb, though, not the little one. If I'm wrong, you can always pot it deep, or on it's side, to accommodate the newest growth, wherever it appears.