Let’s talk about Ctsm. denticulatum

[SaraJean]

I have a bone to pick with this plant and I am in desperate need of some growing tips.

I picked up a Catasetum denticulatum from SVO back in 2018. It bloomed 4 times that first year and grew well. Pretty sure Fred & Co. are 100% responsible for that because since then I have struggled to grow it and have never rebloomed it. It has never followed any sort of normal dormancy or growing pattern. The first time it went dormant, it stayed dormant for almost a full year. Since then, it has put out weak little growths year round at random intervals- usually mid to late summer, fall, and early winter. Sometimes they make it, sometimes they don’t. The growths are almost always weak though. It makes the timing for repotting and watering very confusing… I just try to watch it and see what it needs, not trying to force dormancy or anything. I put it under lights this past winter to help along one of the late season growths which just finished maturing. Got these two new growths in late June, a good 4 months after all of my other Catasetums woke up.

Conditions:
Spring, summer, fall: I keep this along side all of my other Catasetinae for the growing season. Warm-hot, bright, and humid. Lots of rain and fertilizer starting towards the end of May.
Winter care: I have read that this species likes it warmer and more humid in the winters so it stays on a very bright windowsill, this past winter under bright LEDs, warm, typically between 78°f-65°f, humidity is never less than 55%, there is usually something still growing on it (albeit slowly) so it’s still getting water and fert- just not as frequently as I would if it were mid summer when things are growing faster.

What are your experiences with this species? Any tips or issues? Most of my Catasetums are no brainers for me, grow like mad in my climate and under my care, and I typically don’t have dormancy issues (Mormodes not withstanding, I tend to rot those at any time of the year). So what’s going on with my little denticulatum? Is it really that different in care needs?