Galeandra baueri dry spike

[Paola]

Hi everybody,
I am new on this forum. My name is Paola from Italy, Rome.
Nice to meet you all. I need your help: my Galeandra bauery, the first catasetina I have ever had has a dry spike. two weeks ago it was a brilliant green, but then it got dried I do not know why. Of course, it also stopped growing, I cultivate it in S/H and it seemed to appreciate it. I fertilize it once every two weeks with 1/4 of the recommeded dose. The two basal leaves are turning yellow just now. I live near the sea but this summer has been really hot and dry. I have often vaporized the plants paying attention not to water the spike. Moreover, it suffered from the attack of spider mites which I thought I had eradicated. I attach some pictures just in case some good fellow would help me.
Thank you and be gentle with me both for my English and for posting wrong size pictures or wrong threads. I will learn.
Bye bye

[Roberta]

First, welcome to Orchid Board. And your English is great! I have not grown this species, but did a little quick research. Sudden dry heat could certainly do this. They do come from a humid climate, so I am sure that they did not appreciate the "dry" part. (Orchids teach patience... there's always next year! ) I do have Orchidwiz, which includes the Baker culture sheets (which are really extensive) Unlike others in the Catasetinae group, these don't want to go totally dry. Suggestion is to reduce water after the new growth matures. Resume watering and fertilizing when new growth appears. Try to keep water out of the crown of new growths.

[Paola]

Hi Roberta, thank you! I suspected it was something connected to humidity conditions. It is a shame although, I really hoped to see it flowered. I really start thinking I need a greenhouse. Temps her ein summer are always very high and humidity percentage low on the contrary: 30/33%. Nebulization cannot be sufficient. I'll try again next year

[isurus79]

Humidity may be a problem, but I suspect spider mite damage hurt the most. Or a combination of both.

[Paola]

This concerns me, because I have experienced a large scale attack. Its effects are clearly visible on the leaves of the other catas I have. Red mite seems fond of catas since I have cattleyas, stanhopeas and gongoras and finger crossed they are not been touched 'till now.

[Paola]

Hi guys, I can't believe it! I thought I should have waited for a whole year to see my baby's flower, but she has surprised me. After the first 2 blooms got dried, 3 new ones emerged on the spike and now here she is!!!

[SG in CR]

These grow wild here in northern Costa Rica. I have a few growing mounted to branches. Loosing their leaves before going dormant for a few months is pretty typical. The spider mites might be too, as it's the only orchid I have that I've had them on repeatedly.
Once well established they will repeatedly boom off the same flower stalk through out the leafy period (don't cut it off till it dries up).
For those wanting to mount them, they are a bit tricky. They only grow roots for a short period during the initial growth phase. The roots that they do develop are short and don't grab on to a substrate well if there is even minimal movement of the plant relative to it. I've found that tying the the dormant Pbulb itself tightly to a branch is more successful than trying to tie down the roots.