Catasetum - To water or not to water ?

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Thanks OAF (orchids are fun) ----- yes... definitely the new roots near the new off-shoot have kept growing and getting longer during the rain. The strong winds kept blowing the heavy rain onto all my orchids --- the catasetums and catts - hammering all these orchids for about 10 days or so. Very wet conditions. Very wet roots. Very windy too - even tipping over some Fdk. pots over sometimes.

The roots of pretty much all the orchids became very active indeed - probably due to the humidity, airing, and maybe low light conditions during this unexpectedly long rain period. The new roots of the Fdk certainly haven't stopped growing.

Naturally, these are new roots of actively growing plants. I will eventually get around to seeing what happens with new roots of Fdk, Monn etc. emerging from dormancy. Perhaps it's a part of some of these plant's evolved behaviour to simply stop relatively new root growth when the new roots become wet --- for plants emerging from dormancy.

Time for some experimenting from me too.


Above: new root growth from plant - with short new roots very wet for about 10 days.


Above: same plant - zoomed out.


Above: most of these Fdk plants grow in loosely packed spaghnum surrounded by quincan gravel around the sides and at the pot base. Pots sit on plastic drainage grate.

Ah, so this is a second growth coming in during the active growth season? The new roots will be fine. Second growths are common and don't seem to mind wet media.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Ah, so this is a second growth coming in during the active growth season? The new roots will be fine. Second growths are common and don't seem to mind wet media.

Thanks very much Steve! Really appreciated that information! I love to follow good recommendations and advice from experienced growers of these varieties of plants. I'm really going to stay with the recommended procedure of leaving the new roots without water for plants coming out of dormancy until they become adequately established. The earlier thing I mentioned about watering new roots of plants coming out of dormancy is just to test the waters. I strongly believe that from just 1 or 2 future trial attempts - I will find what you, Bud, Fred and team already knew for ages. The stop-new-root-growth behaviour when coming out of dormancy is likely programmed-in/built into the plant by an evolutionary thing.

[orchidsarefun]

They say the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
I'm repotting my monster catasetums

Roots are in wonderful shape, very few dried out/dead. See first picture.

However biggest surprise is the brand new growth , ironically on the same side I was watering weekly. Notice the healthy roots.

Last pic is of the new growth. There are 3 new growths thus far + 1 tiny new growth

[camille1585]

Wow, they do seem in great shape!

[orchidsarefun]

I've had to cut 3 inches of roots from the base on each to fit the new pot. Roots mostly firm and pliable. Old medium was moist and smelt great.

Repotted 😄

The tiny new growth is visible in the foreground. I don't expect it to grow but who knows...