Cynoches growing in general

[jaxorchidman]

Hi all,

I have a Cyc. cooperi that is flowering right now and at the same time the last backbulb is starting to get mushy, yellow, and wither. How do I stop this from happening so that I may have more than just one good plant. I see a lot of pictures on here with back bulbs that are still green. I just want to be able to have a nice specimen plant. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

-Joshua

[smweaver]

Joshua, if the backbulb is just yellow and whithering, I would leave it on the plant. If it turns brown and starts to have something of an unpleasant smell to it, then cut it off and disinfect the cut area. It's normal for these plants to lose their backbulbs. If you have a very young plant (even though it's flowering, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's an adult) it might simply be that it will take it two to three years to produce a number of backbulbs that remain green.

I have four plants of Cycnoches warscewiczii. All of them are getting ready to bloom, even though they aren't what I would call full-fledged adults. Two of the four consist of only two bulbs (and the backbulb on one is beginning to yellow and whither like the one on your Cyc. cooperi), while one of the plants has only one green bulb. Only one of the four plants has three pseudobulbs, and the oldest is also starting to yellow. So I think that it just takes time for them to get large enough to maintain a significant number of pseudobulbs (green or otherwise).

Steve

[jaxorchidman]

Thank you smweaver!! I just cut off the spike cause the bloom were fading and falling. I plan on giving it one last water and then letting it dry out for the winter. Does this sound okay? I have it in sphag in a clay pot. Should I do anything else right now?

[smweaver]

Joshua, I think that the main objective with the cycnoches species that are deciduous is that they remain relatively dry during their winter dormancy. You'll find some growers who leave their plants in the pots and don't repot into new mix until the spring, after the plants come out of their dormancy. Other growers will tell you that the best thing to do is to remove a plant from its pot, remove any old potting mix (especially sphagnum moss, which tends to break down pretty quickly and usually needs to be replaced every year), trim off the old roots and let the cluster of pseudobulbs sit in an empty pot (again, repotting it in the spring once new growth commences). I'm basically pretty lazy and tend to simply stop watering the plants after they go dormant and ignore them until the spring. Then I'll remove the old moss (my plants are growing in sphagnum too, but I'll probably be changing over to coconut husk chunks in the spring) and repot them around March or April (whenever they decide to "wake up"). So it sounds like you've got a good strategy in mind for your cooperi. If your plant's still got some green leaves, it's probably okay to give it a little water before the dry spell is induced. But it should be just fine if you decide to start withholding water now and let the plant go dormant. Once you feel comfortable with your cycnoches you should try to give Cyc. warscewiczii and/or chlorochilon a try. Both are very fragrant and like the same conditions that cooperi takes. Good luck!

Steve

[isurus79]

I'd say Steve (smweaver) covered your question pretty well. A yellowing and somewhat mushy backbulb is totally normal and is just the plant consuming the nutrients stored in the bulb. The only thing I would add is that it may or may not be time for you to stop watering. If the plant still has all or most of its leaves, then it is too early to stop watering. However, if it has lot most of its leaves and only has a few on top, then go ahead and stop watering. Any drought for these guys at too early a stage will cause the bulb to begin to whither, but if you stop watering at the correct time, you will not see any shrinking of the bulb. Here is a great link to general Catasetinae growing through the year: Sunset Valley Orchids - Grower and hybridizer of quality orchids, Vista CA

[jaxorchidman]

TY isurus!!

[CTB]

Don't stop watering yet, Joshua, we have a lot of hot weather to get through yet, wait till mid to late December, then no water for Jan and Feb. and you should be alright. Leave them potted till next Spring. I just lay the pot over on its' side, so there a little bit of moisture but not filling the pot.

[jaxorchidman]

The last PB is shriveled but the newest that just got done blooming still has all green leaves. It may out out another spike since it's still blooming season? I'm going to keep watering it and see what happens. I'll stop about Jan. Thanks. Oh and CTB, I went by Reuben in Orchids and picked up 14 new kids!! Yea me!!

[CTB]

Yea, that's the spirit, what's one more, or 14 more. Enjoy, I was wondering if you had found a place to shop, I'm so glad you did.