Possible to rescue a resentful bifoliate cattleya?

[MateoinLosAngeles]

My concern with temps in the upper 90s is in combination with low humidity, not sure if I wanna see what would happen to some of them with hot and dry air. I do try to keep temps in a tight range since my warm, intermediate, and cool plants share the same space… my apartment! But I’m not really concerned about lows at all, however, I have some plants in the oncidium alliance that would struggle in the 90s esp with dry air. But I would probably struggle the most as Roberta points out!

[Louis_W]

I i have finally abandoned the idea of raising humidity in my space. It is now 10-15% most of the time and jumps all the way up to 40% for half an hour after I water. Now i focus on good hydration (easiest for me in SH) and my plants dont care at all.

These hot growing cattleya species are pretty much all i grow and i have found that the have some very extreme limits!

I realize that you are talking about a struggling plant and it needs a little more TLC.... sorry not the most helpful

[Leafmite]

Until you have healthy roots, the amount of moisture lost through the leaves needs to be kept at a minimum. If it is early summer and the new orchid has just begun growing the pseudobulb/new roots, I usually stake/wire rootless Cattleyas on top of the new medium and water as usual (to provide humidity--I am using lava rock). As it is early in the growing season, most Cattleyas will put out new pseudobulbs, even if their first attempt has failed. If this only puts out new pseudobulbs once a year and it does not try again, you might be able to fool it with artificial lights by shortening the hours of light and then increasing them.

[MateoinLosAngeles]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Until you have healthy roots, the amount of moisture lost through the leaves needs to be kept at a minimum. If it is early summer and the new orchid has just begun growing the pseudobulb/new roots, I usually stake/wire rootless Cattleyas on top of the new medium and water as usual (to provide humidity--I am using lava rock). As it is early in the growing season, most Cattleyas will put out new pseudobulbs, even if their first attempt has failed. If this only puts out new pseudobulbs once a year and it does not try again, you might be able to fool it with artificial lights by shortening the hours of light and then increasing them.

This is a fun idea to try if everything else fails!