Cycnodes wine delight: root rot and keiki formation

[fishmanejr]

Hi All,

I made a beginners mistake on my Cycnodes wine delight by over-watering (too soon) once new growth started this spring. Needless to say, all the roots, the new growth, and the old pseudobulbs rotted. The basal 1/3 of last years (most recent) mature pseudobulb rotted, but I was able to stop the rot from progressing beyond that point.

My question: Now that I have a partial pseudobulb with no roots and only leaf axil buds, is there any way to stimulate keiki formation from these dormant buds without causing the rot to start progressing again? I was thinking I could put it in a ziplock bag with some moist sphagnum on a warm windowsill to stimulate growth, but that seems like a recipe for rot to set back in again.

The plant flowered beautifully for me this past fall/winter, so I would like to get it to live on through a keiki if possible.

[euplusia]

Stimulation is not needed as Catasetinae easily form keikis from nodes along the bulbs. But keikis can fall off by a slight push, so be careful. I just put my partial bulbs on a fine grade potting medium of sawdust a nd clay pellets.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by euplusia

Stimulation is not needed as Catasetinae easily form keikis from nodes along the bulbs. But keikis can fall off by a slight push, so be careful. I just put my partial bulbs on a fine grade potting medium of sawdust a nd clay pellets.

[fishmanejr]

Good to know! I thought I lost this plant due to my over-eagerness this spring.

I found some info online about keiki paste containing hormones that further stimulate keiki formation. Would this be beneficial in my situation or wouldn't it make a significant difference since, as you informed me, Catasetinae easily form keiki?

Euplusia - do I just set the partial pseudobulbs on the surface of the medium and then wait patiently? Is there any specific orientation the buds should be in, i.e. pointing laterally vs. pointing up toward the ceiling? Thanks for your help!

Here are some pics, the leaf axil buds appear healthy and the rot at the base of the blub no longer seems to be spreading:

[Rowangreen]

Looks to me like you've already got something sprouting at the top of the second pic

[fishmanejr]

That node has been like that since the rot set in with no enlargement, which is why I was wondering if the keiki paste might be useful to coax the buds into growth?

[Stasisgate]

I have to agree with all those guys... I had a similar issue with my own Cycd. Wine Delight a few years ago (eager just like you too lol).

I placed the saved cane on a pot with pre-soaked coco chips and it sent out keikeis nicely. They don't seem to need any coaxing IMO. Just give the thing a chance and with a lil bit of patience you'll get new plants in no time

[Bud]

all you need to do is let it be....put it in a bright cool place....stop fussing, and the keiki paste will just overpower it or produce a deformed flower(the paste contains hormones=too much might deform flowers)....wait until you have five inches growth and at least three inches roots on the keiki then you continue water and fertilizer otherwise no water at all and you have to just restrain yourself from watering it; the cane seems to be big enough to feed the new keiki=that old cane is a goner it will just soften and rot after it feeds the keiki....next time the leaves fall off you put it in a bright cool place and then wait patiently and restrain yourself from watering it until you have five inches new growth....

[Rowangreen]

I have a galeritum that's been driving me nuts doing wierd things since I got it (really should get round to posting about it!). However that has a 'nubbin' like that one that started last year then stopped. It's now growing and starting to put out roots, so I'm sure yours will too now your plant needs it to.

[fishmanejr]

Thanks all for the advice! I will forgo the paste and just be patient. I figured that bulb would eventually whither away - I just wanted to make sure keiki(s) formed before that happened. Hopefully I can post some pics by the fall of some small plants!