Potting, dividing,?new growth node ?, no roots what to do -Ric Chien Ya Lantern

[Skippersmom]

Good afternoon everyone.
I am an amateur, but now with 30 'kids' in the corner [including 9 rescues from my ailing father's house], I am getting into more advanced care. We live in Nebraska so now all the 'kids' are relocated indoors.

So, I may have made misjudgements on this one but hope to salvage it. This little catt was looking like it needed repotted several months ago. Removed fromm medium, left any viable roots [not many] and plopped it in water for a few days ---fast forward about 4 months it's still in water! Gets some roots, then they die off. However it did push out a new shoot that looks happy. (see pic)

My plan was to cut off most of the old pseudobulbs and pot the new growth and maybe 2 pseudobulbs.
1) With the lack of roots, I am concerned that the usual Catt mixes might be too dry. Was thinkng about slightly wrapping the base with a little sphagnum before putting in the piece into mix to encourage roots to 'try again'.

2) However, now I've noticed these little nodes at the base of the old pseudobulbs. Do these have a good liklihood of taking off and growing a new plant? Do they need special treatment? I can possibly make 6 plants out of 1 IF the old pseudobulbs w/ nodes can be started.

3) Any growth promoting solutions/drops, that would help the nodes or roots take off?

They do get monthly soaks in Quantum Orchid solution.

[SouthPark]

Your orchid looks like it is surviving and even growing.

In the tropics here, I just pot it into an airy media mix, in a very good draining pot (with big enough holes at the bottom, and enough holes down the bottom), and then ----- when it is watering time (using a spray wand), I put most of the water into the media at the outskirts of the pot. Less water into the inner regions of the pot.

It provides nice humidity for the roots, while not drowning them.

And maintain a nice warm temperature, and provide gentle air movement in the growing area.

No special treatment is needed.

[Skippersmom]

Thank you for sharing your methods. As in most things, it never hurts to 'give it a try'. Nature always finds a way,...(especially if it's a weed!!)

I like the reminder to keep the moisture peripherally to encourage root growth.

Thank you.

[estación seca]

Most Cattleyas have defined periods when they make new roots. This is usually with new growth or shortly after that. Many Catts only make new growth and new roots once a year, usually in spring. They won't root at other times. Winter in Nebraska is not a promising time for Cattleya growth, unless you provide extra heat, light and humidity indoors.

Your challenge will be keeping it alive until it makes more roots. Water roots don't adapt well to media growing, so rooting in water isn't useful unless you can either grow the plant in water, or you put it into a pot as soon as you see root nubs emerging. By the time they get to a half inch long it's hard to repot without damaging the root tips.

Do not divide your plant. You will wind up with multiple extremely weak plants rather than one weak plant. And in the future never cut off old roots. You can't tell which are really dead, and the plant has a better chance of surviving to grow new roots with more old roots.

Read this comment from a thread today. I highly recommend you do this:
Help with a tiny Cattleya

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Skippersmom

Thank you for sharing your methods. As in most things, it never hurts to 'give it a try'. Nature always finds a way,...(especially if it's a weed!!)

I like the reminder to keep the moisture peripherally to encourage root growth.

Thank you.

You are most welcome S.M.

I added a post today (link) in the potting section of the forum related to this. This style of watering method is one of the various ways for controlling the amount of water in the medium and also in and around the roots.

Sometimes it is beneficial to add water closer-in too, so that roots can pick up nutrients (fertiliser, elements etc) hanging in the media. But I usually put less (much less) water in those regions. Putting less water is ok ----- as it won't saturate the media down in the dark depths of the pot (and drown roots).

[Ray]

I suggest against dividing it. If the old pseudobulbs are still green, they’re contributing resources to the colony.

Buy a bottle of KelpMax. Mix 1 tablespoon/gallon and immerse the entire plant in it for several hours.

Pot it up as you intend to grow it, stake it so it doesn’t wiggle in the medium, and water it in with the KelpMax solution.

Invert a clear plastic bag over it and the pot (don’t seal it) to trap the humidity and slow desiccation.

Keep it very warm and shady. If you have a seedling heat mat, place the pot on it.

For the next few weeks, if it needs watering, use the KelpMax solution. Once it has roots penetrating the medium, you can remove the bag and treat it normally.

Add KelpMax to your irrigation regimen once per month.

Oh yeah. Stop wasting your money on Quantum Orchid. Get the identical, but not privately labeled version, Quantum-Total, from me for a lot less money.

[Skippersmom]

Two questions,
1) would you also give the potting media a long soak in the kelp magic before pottingthe plant in?

2) after mixing up a watering solution of the 'K-M', how long can it be kept for future use for additional waterings?

3) Can it be over done, as in applying too frequently? Difference between younger versus older plants?
Thank you !