First time Catasetum owner, when to restart watering again?

[camille1585]

I’ve read some things about when to start watering but I thought it’s best to double check… I got a Catasetum tenebrosum in the fall (my first in this alliance), and I noticed this weekend that there’s a new growth starting. I haven’t given it a drop of water since it shed its leaves. I’ve read to start watering once the roots start. Does that mean that it still shouldn’t get water at all until then, even though it’s growing? The youngest bulb (the one putting out the growth) is looking a bit shrivelled already. I don’t want to screw up since apparently new growths are susceptible to rot.

And once I do start watering, should I start immediately with heavy fertilizing regime (since these are hungry plants) or gradually build up?

And is now the best time to repot, or should I wait a bit longer?

[isurus79]

I would repot it now and wait to water until the new roots are about 3" long. Then give it plenty of water and lots of fertilizer. With this species you will also see a spike coming out of the immature growth, so be ready for flowers (if its old enough) by mid March or so. You will notice this plant starts and finishes its growth fairly early as compared to other types of orchids that need strong winter dormancy.

[camille1585]

Thanks!
I'm not sure if it'll flower this year. The grower said it was a nearly mature plant but he was 50/50 about it being large enough to bloom this season.

What sort of potting mix do you prefer for these? I was thinking of using a mix of bark and sphag

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by camille1585

Thanks!

What sort of potting mix do you prefer for these? I was thinking of using a mix of bark and sphag

That should work pretty well. I had great success with wine corks stood on end next to each other, covered with about an inch or two of spag on top. These guys are pretty easy to pot up though and will be happy in just about any kind of media that can hold some water in it, but keep good aeration.

[Nokomis.FL]

I know that I'm in a totally different climate zone from you, but what I have found is that if I totally ignore them during the Winter I will have quite a few casualties by Spring. What I was told was to only give them just enough water to keep the bulbs from shriveling, like what they would receive from morning dew in the wild. I use a squirt bottle to heavily mist them while dormant and until the roots gain a few centimeters in length and it's time to repot. This seems especially important on the smaller plants that don't have the reserves of the larger specimens.

Hope that helps.

[camille1585]

Thanks.
Seems that totally ignoring it works here since it's cool. I put it on the windowsill in the bedroom since I never turn on the heating there (I love sleeping in a chilly room) so the temperature at night behind the curtain must be only about 50F. But I think it's going to need a few squirts of water now that the newest bulb shows signs of shrivelling (probably because it's feeding the new growth)

[Nokomis.FL]

It's been abnormally warm here so far. I'd say the average temp has been 80F/26C this month with record breaking peaks at times. It is supposed to cool off this weekend with a possible low temp of 45F/7.2C tonight, so I will be bringing some plants back in.