Winter Catasetums - January 2022

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Sigh... start to wake up? All but one of my five won't go into dormancy at all. I stopped completely watering them mid-December, and they're all just sitting there with green leaves looking at me. They must be confused, and I'm even more confused since this is my first full year of growing them.

Maybe I shouldn't have stopped watering them?

Can you plunge them into freezing cold temps at night (i.e. 50 degrees) to really show them who's boss?

[WaterWitchin]

Yes, I could move them to basement. Garage is probably too cold. I'll do it today! I don't usually boss my plants around and just let them do their own thing, but this is frustrating. How long do I leave them there? I presume no light necessary?

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Yes, I could move them to basement. Garage is probably too cold. I'll do it today! I don't usually boss my plants around and just let them do their own thing, but this is frustrating. How long do I leave them there? I presume no light necessary?

I'd leave them there for at least a few weeks (up to a month) and some light is needed. We want to tell them its winter, not night! lol

[WaterWitchin]

Okay, contrary to what I would have thought, since they don’t require light when dormant. At least that’s how I understood it from the throw on a bench or in a shoebox or closet stuff I’ve read. Glad I asked.

[itzi]

I've mentioned my Monnierara in another thread and asked about how to deal with its small new growth, and the consensus was to wait until it was a few inches long, most likely at the start of march, until I start watering. Well, turns out its not just one growth, but two! Looks like I've got a new bulb coming in as well as a little flower spike starting to grow.

I'm really considering getting another catasetum type next. Looking at different species and hybrids on OrchidRoots, there's so much variety in flower shape, size, color, and texture! I see why the family has its passionate following.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by itzi

I've mentioned my Monnierara in another thread and asked about how to deal with its small new growth, and the consensus was to wait until it was a few inches long, most likely at the start of march, until I start watering. Well, turns out its not just one growth, but two! Looks like I've got a new bulb coming in as well as a little flower spike starting to grow.

I'm really considering getting another catasetum type next. Looking at different species and hybrids on OrchidRoots, there's so much variety in flower shape, size, color, and texture! I see why the family has its passionate following.

Congrats on the double growths!! Hopefully that leads to double the blooms!

[mook1178]

My Fdk's are waking up, but nobody else. I am in the mid-atlantic though. Your daylight hours are probably a good bit more than mine still.

---------- Post added at 12:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:48 PM ----------

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Sigh... start to wake up? All but one of my five won't go into dormancy at all. I stopped completely watering them mid-December, and they're all just sitting there with green leaves looking at me. They must be confused, and I'm even more confused since this is my first full year of growing them.

Maybe I shouldn't have stopped watering them?

If the leaves on my plants haven't dropped by mid January, they get a haircut. I have found that forces dormancy rather quickly.

[WaterWitchin]

New question... Okay, Ctsm are now in the BatCave, under lights, no heat, temps around 50F. When I moved them, I notice the older growth(s) or bulbs are very shriveled although this year's growth (the ones still with leaves) aren't shriveled at all. From watching the video, it appears the older growths aren't supposed to be shriveling up. Shall I give them a drink, even though I'm trying to convince the 2021 bulbs to at least take a short nap?

I do like the idea of giving them a haircut. At least then I could ignore the fact they aren't dropping leaves yet.

[isurus79]

I would give them a good soak and keep them warm (above 55 at minimum, way warmer if possible) until the media gets dry again. You'll want the media bone dry as the new roots appear, so giving the plant plenty of energy storage before them helps the process along.

[itzi]

Hey y'all, I ended up getting a new Catasetum from Ecuagenera at an orchid show I went to last weekend, Catasetum expansum 'rojo'! Really looking forward to the blooms, I havent seen any pictures of this cultivar online.

Aside from that, I have small concern about my MMM.. I've kept it under lights alongside the rest of my plants during its dormancy, and the tip of the new growth is looking a bit brown and dry. What I think is the flower spike has also gotten a dry sheathe around it. Is there something I should do?