Cattleya NOID - needs resuscitating or maybe a coffin - Orchid Board

MJG · #1 07-01-2021, 02:43 PM

This cattleya is a favorite of mine, and it's in trouble. It is incredibly desiccated and I’m worried it's dying.

Last fall I decided to repot it. I divided it, put it in its new pot with medium bark, and fastened it down with a couple of rhizome clips.

A couple of months later, November, I got really sick and turned over the orchid care to my husband for 7 months. He did his best! He watered it once a week for a few months, then stepped it up to twice a week. When I took the watering back over a couple of weeks ago I was able to look at it. It looks super-desiccated. The leaves are wrinkled and downright floppy. There hasn't been the slightest sign of any grown since I repotted it last October.

I can think of a few possibilities about what's happened. The roots got too dry and may have died? Or maybe when I repotted it, I damaged it? It was a struggle to attach the rhizome clips. Maybe I broke the roots?

What should I do? I hate to lose this guy. Thanks.

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DirtyCoconuts · #2 07-01-2021, 02:54 PM

super thirsty....i think you may have either damaged it or shocked it with the move- i would carefully remove it and see if any roots are alive and if any are growing and i would then do the Sphag and Bag technique for major humidity....without good roots it has little way to take in water and this will help

Shadeflower · #3 07-01-2021, 03:24 PM

yep it's really thirsty, if it has very few roots and you just pour water very quickly over the pot twice a week that water will just run off, evaporate but the very short roots will absorb very little.

With a Cattleya like this you need far more short regular waterings, a spray bottle really helps to give bark a quick soak - the bark will absorb far more moisture than if you just pour water over it. You want the pot to not stay wet but you need the root stubs all close to the stem to stay damp so regularly spray the bottom of the rhyzomes but don't keep the pot wet.

What your husband unfortunately will have been doing is the opposite, he will have kept the pot wet and the roots dry.

I don't think the spagh and bag method would be needed.. It's quite a drastic measure and I don't think this one is going to be too hard to rehydrate with just regular spraying. The spagh and bag method needs to be opened daily to provide a bit of air circulation I think? so whichever you prefer I suppose.

DirtyCoconuts · #4 07-01-2021, 04:48 PM

i was unclear- only sphag and bad if all the roots are dead- if there are roots- i agree, mist a lot and baby it

SouthPark · #5 07-01-2021, 06:17 PM

MJG ----- the media looks ok. I agree that this one wasn't able to get enough water into it. And also agree with checking the roots. And while doing that ----- also check the media down deeper ---- to see if the media is ultra wet ----- or if it is relatively dry.

Also --- check the level of the rhizome of the orchid. Have the rhizome sitting not too deep into the media. Preferably have the rhizome sitting just on the surface of the media. And all the best!

MJG · #6 07-02-2021, 09:31 PM

Okay, I took the plant out of the pot. He's what I found. Yikes. Do you think any of the roots are still alive? Should I go ahead and sphag and bag? Thanks!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2m8TZfR]20210702_192718[/url

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Roberta · #7 07-02-2021, 10:19 PM

Roots don't look great, but I think at least some of them are alive. So pot it up, and baby it. I would not try to trim bad roots - you really can't tell what's alive and what's not, better to leave a dead one than to cut something that could be helping the plant because it needs all the help that it can get. Kelpmax may help inspire it to grow some new ones. I'd even consider applying an anti-transpirant to the leaves. Something like this: Amazon.com
I was instructed to use a product like this on some thin-leaved plants imported from China (which had spend a fair amount of time in transit and were badly dessicated, roots in poor condition) and they have perked up and started to grow beautifully. Be careful to keep it off the roots (super important) - like hold the plant upside down when applying, or use a paintbrush. It will wear off in time, so the plant can transpire naturally, but it can help get it through the rough patch while roots recover.

SouthPark · #8 07-02-2021, 10:42 PM

Maybe some roots are still hanging in there. But just have to be careful about it ----- as just keep the media and the roots lightly damp only. With nice gentle airing, and nice temperature (not too cold).

If the orchid roots - ones that aren't adapted to being in very wet environments - are made to become overly wet for long periods of time, then their health can go downhill quickly.

Medium light level - no direct sun - nice warm temperature, with some gentle air-flow, and good humidity ...... and keeping the roots lightly damp ..... some dry out is no problem too. Just not over-wetting for relatively long periods.

Orchid Whisperer · #9 07-02-2021, 11:45 PM

I'll offer an alternative approach, one that I have used successfully with Cattleya types in similar bad condition.

Leave the orchid unpotted, bare root, during the summer frost-free months. Hang it up somewhere in the shade outdoors. Water the roots daily, look for signs of recovery i.e., new root growth. If there is any part of the plant that can grow roots, it will.

Long extended drenching rain is especially helpful in improving the plant's condition during this treatment.

It may become apparent while it is hanging over the next few months that some roots are well and truly dead. You can trim some of these back (be very sure you are not trimming live roots though; when in doubt, don't cut).

If and when you get some roots growing a few inches long, clean it up and pot it up.

MJG · #10 07-03-2021, 05:12 PM

Thank you, everyone! I have a bottle of kelpmax on the way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roberta

I'd even consider applying an anti-transpirant to the leaves. Something like this: Amazon.com

Roberta, the anti-transpirant is a new one on me. What an interesting product. It has a lot of positive reviews on Amazon. Do you avoid the roots because it will shut down transpiration on them too?

I'm trying the kelpmax first. I might try the anti-transpirant in the future. Cool product!