Catasetum new shoots

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by Patrick.Orchidee

Maybe a stupid question... but i am an beginner with Catasetum.
I've read several times about the root length, BUT the roots are in the pot... how do you know how long they are?

Its tough with solid pots. Just wait until early May to water.

[bil]

Originally Posted by u bada

Those are pretty awesome Bil... I've noticed that certain growers that grow things in moss in baskets, the moss can look super bad, and somehow the plants look great... not the case in plants planted in pots with moss. From an aesthetic standpoint your project of baskets from rebar just look sculptural and cool... whereas the usual plastic baskets look too I dunno industrial... but back to practicalities here... when I've gotten plants grown in moss in baskets before I used to try to repot asap and get all the moss off from the roots... and if that didn't downright kill the plant, it set it back big time. It's hard to say why but as you mentioned, because the moss is exposed to air through the basket and able to dry out faster it seems to last longer and also to the extent even when the moss is really decayed remains good for orchids to grow in... one theory someone discussed with me is that when used in a basket the moss can remain open enough for roots, in addition to lasting longer... furthermore, having them sit over a pan/container is a good idea as hanging baskets can dry so quickly... it can get so dry here that if I did a similar project (which I don't have space for essentially) I'd let the bottom cm touch the bottom so water can wick up into moss on dry days to last longer...

Also, I'm a bit confused... isn't it winter there also? I'm kinda wondering how yours has leaves + growth on them now? or are they old pictures?

Thank you very much. Those designs arose because a spherical basket held too much moss, risking the centre going anoxic, and a flat hexagonal basket presented the bars to a stan bud as a continuous sheet of steel.
So I came up with a hanging saucer of a basket, that because it was thin at the edges should wick away water fast, so the moss wasn't sodden continuously.
That has an enormous effect. Mounts that have a small amount of moss hardly show signs of a fungal attack, but my sesquipedal orchid, that seems to like wet feet, and has quite a lump of moss, its mount is showing clear signs of fungal attack and rot. and the moss looks more like soil now.
Compare that to the Stan moss, which has been there for the same time, and that moss is hardly broken down at all. So, I think by soaking the moss, and then letting it dry rapidly, you may end up watering that orchid every day, but the moss will take far longer to degrade.

I used to try to repot asap and get all the moss off from the roots... and if that didn't downright kill the plant, it set it back big time.

Yeah. I can imagine. I tried doing much the same once, and gave up precisely because the roots were hanging onto the moss for dear life.
Here is what I plan to do when it is time to repot the stans or the catasetums in pure moss.
First off, unless the moss looks really degraded, I won't.
second, if it looks bad, I will tak the orchid out, brush off lightly what I can, then wash the root mass in room temp water.
My reasoning is, the roots can't hang onto broken down moss, so that ought to wash out, right?

I would be eternally grateful if someone could point out any glaring flaws in this that I have overlooked.

I was planning to do the same with my large phals in their big pots. Tip out all the big bits, then wash out the broken down bark. That OUGHT to save damaging the roots by taking it wholly out of the pot.

"I'd let the bottom cm touch the bottom so water can wick up into moss on dry days to last longer... "

I wouldn't. I can see your point, but I think you risk letting rot get a hold on the moss if it is kept continuously wet.

" isn't it winter there also?"

Ahaha. Yeah, that's what started this all off. They are southern hemisphere plants that I bought this autumn.
So, I have some gone dormant, some think it's summer and some think it's both.
SUCH fun.

[MRWPsyD]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Fred Clarke, quoted above, says 90% of the previous years' roots die during the winter. They are there merely to hold the plants onto the trees, walls or fences where they grow.

They begin new root growth before the rainy season comes. They develop a huge root system in advance of any rain. Fred thinks this is so they can take in as much water as possible when the rain does come, because they will grow a series of very large leaves very rapidly. If they do not have a huge root system the new shoot will die.

Watering too early stops root growth. This will limit how much water the plant can take up. If the plant tries to make a standard-sized growth with inadequate roots, the developing shoot wilts and collapses. I have seen this happen to several people in our club who insisted on watering their plants too early.

This is just what I came here to find, thank you! I just purchased a dormant Ctsm. Maria Mercado 'Julien Baruch' (my first catasetum) at auction and could not tell that most or all of the roots were papery. I was getting worried I purchased a soon to be dead plant. Time to leave it alone for the winter

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by MRWPsyD

This is just what I came here to find, thank you! I just purchased a dormant Ctsm. Maria Mercado 'Julien Baruch' (my first catasetum) at auction and could not tell that most or all of the roots were papery. I was getting worried I purchased a soon to be dead plant. Time to leave it alone for the winter

Take a look at the culture notes on the Sunset Valley Orchids websiteCatasetinae Culture, and also search through this forum for more detailed notes including more from SVO, and videos from isurus79. These are really different from most other orchids, and if you accommodate those needs, you'll have success with this wonderful group.

[MRWPsyD]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Take a look at the culture notes on the Sunset Valley Orchids websiteCatasetinae Culture, and also search through this forum for more detailed notes including more from SVO, and videos from isurus79.

Thanks for the link! The first thing I did when I got home was watch some of his interviews with Fred Clarke. One of isurus79's videos actually introduced me to the genus!