Cattleya walkeriana semi alba question

[cluelessmidwesterner]

A month ago I purchased my first orchid ever from one of the big box home improvement stores a Better-gro bag orchid. A Cattleya walkeriana semi alba 'Carmela'. The plant medium was totally dry and most of the pseudobulbs were shrunken. When dampened the medium had a musty smell sort of like decaying leaves. The leaves were a dark green. A quick read on the several sites (AOS was one) on net told to repot asap. I did the next day in a regular Terra cotta 5" pot with an medium course orchid mix containing bark, charcoal and sponge rock I'd had used potted my Guzmania. Most of the roots were rotten (97%+). Of course now I know I have over potted it and positioned wrong in said pot. I most likely damaged any semi good roots that we're left. Some nice folks on another orchid board had some suggestions on how to care for this orchid but most of them are in the south with a totally different weather and environment than I am in (sunshine?? what's that??). It seem like this orchid has "stalled" and by that I mean it isn't dying but its not really showing signs growing either. No root growth that I can tell nor any new nodes (??) that I can see. These are photos of what she looks like today. What should I do if anything differently? I have not fertilized it because I didn't want to burn what few roots she may have and I water about every 7 days. She's in a room with good afternoon light and is kept at 65-70 F with 50-60% humidity. I have placed a few wads of moss on top of the media to help with humidity around the root area

[Ray]

The thing needs good roots so it can absorb water and recover. You are right to withhold food for the time being - resume that when you see new roots, but only very dilute solutions.

My approach would be to add KelpMax to the next three consecutive waterings to stimulate root growth, set the pot on a heat mat to accelerate that process, and invert a clear plastic bag over the plant and pot to trap humidity around it, slowing the desiccation process (that humidity tray is doing nothing).

[orchidsarefun]

The good news is that once these are established and in the right spot indoors and out, they take off. Mine flowers 3-4 times a year and has tripled in size in 4 years. Most of the roots are now outside the pot.
The bad news is that it did nothing for the 2 years before that and after repotting. They hate to have their roots disturbed and you have to wait for the next growth cycle for new ones. Patience, lots of light and a quick root dry-out should invigorate yours.

[cluelessmidwesterner]

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

The good news is that once these are established and in the right spot indoors and out, they take off. Mine flowers 3-4 times a year and has tripled in size in 4 years. Most of the roots are now outside the pot.
The bad news is that it did nothing for the 2 years before that and after repotting. They hate to have their roots disturbed and you have to wait for the next growth cycle for new ones. Patience, lots of light and a quick root dry-out should invigorate yours.

Could you please explain what the next growth cycle means? Do you mean spring growth? And could you please explain what you mean by quick root dry-out?

Being patience I don't mind if I understand what I'm doing is everything that helps this plant get over the "hump" so to speak

Thanks

[Roberta]

C walkeriana actually may have two "growth spurts" during the year - not sure of the timing, but one of the kinky things about this species is that it may may make a skinny pseudobulb with just a tiny leaf, from which a flower emerges, and then later make a full-on growth with roots, normal pseudobulb, and normal leaf. That's actually the growth that you should look for - don't do anything until you see roots emerging (growth doesn't count, they don't necessarily go together - it's all about roots) The ideal time to repot is when you see new roots. During the winter, it wants to be fairly dry (water well, then ignore until it is dry for several days). As far as timing goes, just observe (you can't go by the calendar. The plant will do what it wants to do when it wants to do it) Patience is the biggie... orchids in general don't do anything fast, and this species in particular takes its sweet time.

[orchidsarefun]

Mine is an 'azalea' type pot - meaning wider and only about 3 inches deep. I used orchiata bark only and I water through the pot for about 15 seconds 1x per week. As I said most of the roots are wrapped around the pot externally and I make sure these are sprayed until most go green. The pot hangs in a South and ( shaded ) West facing window corner and dries out in a few hours. I've noticed that roots grow simultaneously with spikes - at least with my mature plant - and then again when it goes outdoors in Spring. Leaves are also growing larger.
I'll take photos when it blooms later this week.

[cluelessmidwesterner]

Originally Posted by Ray

The thing needs good roots so it can absorb water and recover. You are right to withhold food for the time being - resume that when you see new roots, but only very dilute solutions.

My approach would be to add KelpMax to the next three consecutive waterings to stimulate root growth, set the pot on a heat mat to accelerate that process, and invert a clear plastic bag over the plant and pot to trap humidity around it, slowing the desiccation process (that humidity tray is doing nothing).

I do have a question regarding the placing a bag over the plant. I do understand that its to conserve humidity. My question is a three part one.

1. Should I "vent" the bag some way so there is some fresh air to prevent rot.

2. How long would the humidity "tent" need to stay on?

3. How to acclimate the Cattleya to normal room humidity after it's time to "remove" the tent?

Thanks

[Dollythehun]

I used this method to revive a rescue catt. I cut a couple small slits in the bag/tent. I misted the medium, not the leaves, a couple times a week. When I saw new roots, maybe an inch long, I removed the bag. I was successful and the plant is approaching it's first bloom cycle.

[cluelessmidwesterner]

How does this set up look? I've placed both the tray and a handful of moisten moss in the bag (Turkey roasting bag).

What should I keep my eye out for that might indicate a problem?

Should I water the bark during the plants time in the bag? I realize that the media will dry out slower in a high humidity environment but it will still dry out eventually.

If I don't vent the bag in the beginning, how often do I open it to allow fresh air into the bag?

Sorry everyone for so many questions. If it was my 30+ years Christmas cactus would know how to handle basic propagation techniques which is basically is what I'm doing with this plant with basically no roots to its name.

[Dollythehun]

A couple times a week you can mist the roots/top of bark. Just be patient, it will respond to the humidity.