Should I repot Catasetum schunkei?

[theorchidapartment]

Hi all!

I have a Catasetum schunkei that I got last summer. It came from the southern hemisphere, so it's been a little seasonally confused and I am still a baby beginner when it comes to growing Catasetum-type orchids.

However, I am monitoring the emergence of TWO new growths. One is starting to produce roots and the other is still very tiny. (You can kinda see the top if it behind the new roots in the second pic.)

As you can see in the pic, it has a very mushy back bulb and the new growths are emerging from a high point on the plant, which is quite a bit higher than the top of the pot/media.

Should I repot this before the new roots get long enough that I might break them in the process? If so, should I remove the back bulb and bury the lower parts of the other bulbs in media so the bottom of the new growths are more aligned with the top of the media/not so exposed?

Thank you in advance for your help!

[Leisesturm]

Yikes. I haven't been active in orchid keeping till recently after a 30 year hiatus. There may be newer things to use on that gamey backbulb than Hydrogen Peroxide, but you do have to cut it off and treat the cut ends with something like Peroxide. I will also prove my geriatric bonafides and observe that we used to also use powdered Cinnamon on the healthy tissue left after the Peroxide flush. I have even known of people using Bacitracin or Neosporin on their rotted orchids. If you have some on hand it probably can't hurt but it's expensive stuff and not worth actually purchasing just for a plant (did I say that?). But Cinnamon is cheap enough. Rot can really do a plant in. Don't wait too long to take care of this.

All that intervention you are about to undertake looks like a repot to me. The medium in that pot doesn't look the best either. But I would not upsize from that size pot. Good luck.

P.S. I lived in NYC for 45 years. Last at Sterling Pl and Vanderbilt Ave. near the Grand Army Plaza Central Library.

[estación seca]

Don't cut. That's exactly what Catasetums look like at the end of a long dormancy. Old pseudobulbs sometimes die and shrivel up just as growth begins.

They are picky about repotting, which really should be done during dormancy. I suggest you do it quickly. Take great care not to damage the new roots. Don't cut off any old roots.

But first, before repotting, read about various ways of potting Catasetums. The most popular methods used seem to be tightly packed sphagnum moss and the polyethylene bottle (PET) method Stephen (isurus97 here) has a number of YouTube videos on repotting these.

[Roberta]

I would not repot at this point. If you want to, you could just drop into a larger pot and fill in with some more sphagnum but it is far too late in the season to disturb anything. Don't worry about the mushy p-bulb, they do that as they are drawing energy from them.

[theorchidapartment]

Thank you, ES; I figured the old bulb was just preparing to fall off.

As far as potting methods go, I tried PET last year and found that, because I grow indoors under lights, the media stayed too wet for too long and rotted the roots. I've opted instead for a less water-retentive mix that I water more frequently. (I water some part of my collection daily so this isn't a tall order.)

I guess the most basic question is: do I need to repot this at all? Or will it be able to survive the season as is?

EDIT: Roberta, I just saw your message and I will follow your advice and leave it be!

[Leisesturm]

Seems like we all have our different takes with these plants. The amber colored, mushy, p-bulb would have struck terror in the heart of any grower I knew. Especially if there is any smell coming from it.

[Clawhammer]

Drop and plop

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

Seems like we all have our different takes with these plants. The amber colored, mushy, p-bulb would have struck terror in the heart of any grower I knew. Especially if there is any smell coming from it.

It's quite normal for Catasetinae, but if it really offends, you can clip it off at the base (level with the medium) without disturbing the rest of the plant. The stub won't spread anything bad, just dry up, can be removed next winter when real repotting takes place.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

Seems like we all have our different takes with these plants. The amber colored, mushy, p-bulb would have struck terror in the heart of any grower I knew. Especially if there is any smell coming from it.

Black bulbs are bad. Yellow ones on this group are just being absorbed by the rest of the plant and should be left alone.

I would leave this plant as is and repot next January.

[theorchidapartment]

Thanks Stephen!