When in active growth, Catasetinae need lots of water and fertilizer. They grow so fast you can almost watch them get bigger. In general, fertilizer need is related to growth rate - most orchids don't need much fertilizer because they grow slowly. When they're adding a lot of tissue fast, they need much more. I supplement my regular (weak) fertilizing with time-release fertilizer top dressing.
Thanks for the help. I know I could find the fertilizer. I thought they bloomed in January I would really try to find out looking through old texts and pictures with help. It might have been May. I know ac takes out humidity there was a little window AC I don't think was on much. I think they might have been potted in sphagnum moss but I feel like I'm even getting that wrong. Theres a picture but I never use the cloud. I tried to get the pictures of the red reed-stem. I planted it with my nephew i remember that date was the 4th of May. I used to get the memory photos but had a few phones since. I'll find out what fertilizer I was using I think I was using a double maybe something organic or similar plus the catasetum fertilizer. I think I only watered once a week. I had heard how difficult they are but the black orchid I had to try. Thats what got me into catasetums in the first place. I just hope the ones I have in the tree bloom again I didn't water or fertilize them. I probably have 4 other babies in the same tree one has a weird bulb I'll try to get a picture but its in the worst shape the others just leaf no flowers but they are tiny. The one I found was just one small bulb. They one in bad shape is yellowing last I checked. I think the bulbs dried up but it even had new growth it fell out of the tree and I lost it for a while but found it but it's still recovering. I'm worried about too much sun for the treed ones. I've never kept any orchid in full sun or direct sunlight. I was always taught never. I was thinking recently about light pollution and now I'm worried. The photo period was the first thing I learned have to have darkness or no flowers.
Catasetinae also like high light. Their requirements are very different than other orchids. Check out the culture information from Sunset Valley Orchids Catasetinae Culture
The sun rises on this side. I was worried about too much light. The tree life isn't as posh as the greenhouse. I think I'm going to try with fertilizer. Shriveled bulbs is that maint nutrients or water. Shrubs and vines were cleared since last year. I think I probably spend more time trying to position them then I really need. I was thinking a while ago I need to figure out some type of moss for the roots. Its a Jacaranda tree. The first picture you can see a pod. Id like for them to spread and really take hold of the tree. The tree needs to be trimmed make it symmetrical. In the first picture the ones doing a lot better then the other right next to it. Not sure why the one leaf is brown. Thats the Clowesia warczewitzii
This is the one that made it back on the ground. Its still alive. I think its at least two years old. I really want to see it bloom because the bulbs are wavy its not shriveled it had a nice plump new bulb that was ridged
This one i moved around a few times then put it on this tree. I want the roots to attach. The stick or branch I found it on still decent. Had it two or three years its healthy but the bulbs are starting to shrivel water nutrients or both.
This is just a picture theres nothing really blocking the sun. Sun rises se from this side. I've had still have a bunch of different orchids on this tree but just about catasetums and new growth. I don't like when their so high up you can't really see them, I try to tuck up in good places. A few or so high up even with zoom on a camera its hard to see.