Humidity parameters for optimal catt growth

[Eyebabe]

I have a question regarding what is the usual humidity range used for optimal cattleya growth.
I have species as well as hybrids and when I look up their cultivars, it seems routinely that humidity ranges for species are almost 20% higher.
Furthermore, I have difficulty comprehending how a greenhouse can be kept at a humidity level of 70-80% without falling into the dirt from fungal and bacterial infestation
Even with the "wind" of a large fan blowing.
I don't have the means to keep two different greenhouses with a humidity of 50-60% in one and 70-80% in another.
Please enlighten me

[RosieC]

Sorry I can't help. Just giving a

[peeweelovesbooks]

Sorry!!!!

Let's see....your post just prompted me to check the average humidity index for Miami, Florida and according to the Southest Regional Climate Center, the average yearly humidity index ranges from 83% in the mornings (7am) to down to 61% by the afternoons (1pm). Although of course, individual months differ somewhat, but not by much.

I try to grow a limited type of orchid.

[Call_Me_Bob]

Ms. Maria ( love that lol! ),

yours is the same as mine! but only in summer for me

[Eyebabe]

Well, I am planning on keeping my humidity around 65%.
I have all my plants (virtually) in s/h waiting in my home for the transition at about 45-50% humidity.
They seem to be doing just fine for now but I do think their growth could be more....rapid.
Yesterday, I got sick of the house being closed up and opened the windows....my indoor humidity went to 85%, temp was 80F and I had my huge fan blowing over the whole bunch of them(blows hard enough to wave all their leave ).
I am embarassed to say I inspect these plants like a maniac every day...about 90 of them. So I know anything that pops up is about 12-24hrs old
Anyway! when I closed up for bed I noticed two of my catts that had eyes popping had them black and rotting away leading me to believe that 80%+ humidity is gonna be a bit too freakin' high.
And they had bucco air flow!
But I wanted some feedback about what other people do...esp since the species plants are suppose to thrive with 70-80% and one of the rotted eyes was on my C.trianaei

[Connie Star]

How disappointing! I'm sorry for your loss.
I'm finding humidity pretty difficult.
Outdoors on my shade table it can go as low as 30% during the day, and 95% on humid nights.
Indoors, I can rarely get it to 80%, and it's hard to keep it above 30% in the dead of winter (Western New England). I can't have a green house, although I have a pretty nice large growing space in a two story solar south facing living room. The space is too big for much humidity control other than using ultrasonic humidifiers blowing directly on the plants.
I'm curious how other people manage humidity in the home and not in green houses or orchidaria.

[Eyebabe]

Originally Posted by Connie Star

How disappointing! I'm sorry for your loss.
I'm finding humidity pretty difficult.
Outdoors on my shade table it can go as low as 30% during the day, and 95% on humid nights.
Indoors, I can rarely get it to 80%, and it's hard to keep it above 30% in the dead of winter (Western New England). I can't have a green house, although I have a pretty nice large growing space in a two story solar south facing living room. The space is too big for much humidity control other than using ultrasonic humidifiers blowing directly on the plants.
I'm curious how other people manage humidity in the home and not in green houses or orchidaria.

The C.trianaei is definitely "done"
Two days ago, the eye on the lead was black rotted.
I treated with Subdue Maxx AND Phyton 27.
This morning, the rhysome back further behind the leading bulb looked a little less green so I cut(sterile blade) back to remove the whole leading bulb ....Its only a three pseudobulb division!
The whole rhysome was diseases all the way back to the second to the last bulb
The roots were pretty much fine so I believe the "bug" was pythium and Subdue Maxx was the treatment of choice there.
Don't have much faith that a "one bulb" division would make it........much less bloom in 5 years.

[peeweelovesbooks]

Eyebabe,

Maybe it wasn't the rapid increase in humidity but your potting method. Maybe some catt species don't like the constant humidity that the reservoir provides.

I wouldn't know but I'm just guessing. Perhaps you could experiment with two different (less expensive trianaei and see whether one does better in clay with leca, for example v. S/H.

I would try to save the one bulb division though. Take it out of the pot, clean it up and just leave it bare root, while spraying it with H20 and perhaps a root stimulator. You never know--it may just surprise you.

ETA: How long ago did you purchase the division? Some of my Laelia anceps take a little bit to bounce back from being divided and settling in. If it was just recently divided, it was still probably stressed about being cut from the rest of the plant, and then to being introduced to a medium.

And, sometimes, no matter what you do, you are still going to lose some. It's happened to me before, no matter what I did.

[Eyebabe]

Originally Posted by peeweelovesbooks

Eyebabe,

Maybe it wasn't the rapid increase in humidity but your potting method. Maybe some catt species don't like the constant humidity that the reservoir provides.

I wouldn't know but I'm just guessing. Perhaps you could experiment with two different (less expensive trianaei and see whether one does better in clay with leca, for example v. S/H.

I would try to save the one bulb division though. Take it out of the pot, clean it up and just leave it bare root, while spraying it with H20 and perhaps a root stimulator. You never know--it may just surprise you.

ETA: How long ago did you purchase the division? Some of my Laelia anceps take a little bit to bounce back from being divided and settling in. If it was just recently divided, it was still probably stressed about being cut from the rest of the plant, and then to being introduced to a medium.

And, sometimes, no matter what you do, you are still going to lose some. It's happened to me before, no matter what I did.

It was fairly recently divided and I think that it was "weak" which is why I am less inclined to work the plant for rescue. It was in "isolation" and not yet virus tested; although I have my suspicion...I'm not gonna waste five bucks on a dead plant
Given the roots looked okay, it also may have been the way I was watering leaving the eye area too wet.
C.trianaei is suppose to desire 70-80% humidity..ergo my question regarding essentially how low humidity can you grow the species plants well.
I'd prefer a lower humidity to lower the risk of these humidity happy fungi
Again, I think I'll be watching my watering more closely for those plants poking up new eyes as well.
I like your suggestion about the experiment.
Prior to s/h, I had used Aussie Gold for years with good success but occasionally it holds too much moisture as well.
Haven't used bark in a while d/t how quickly it breaks down...maybe it's time to try again

[Ray]

Personally, I think that humidity, per se, is not the issue. However, high humidity results in slower evaporation, and a tiny droplet of water standing on tender plant tissue can be the ideal incubator for the micro-critters that can wreak havoc.

I try to keep my greenhouse at a minimum of 70% RH, but this time of year, it is often considerably higher. I have not had any issues, but I do "crank up" the fans in this weather. I know a grower who routinely adds a very small amount of Physan to his irrigation water (I believe it was the equivalent of about a teaspoon per 10-15 gallons) and he reports almost complete eradication of rots of all sorts.

By the way, if you want to try bark again, I HIGHLY recommend you try Orchiata. I have avoided bark for years, but experimented with it, and it is REALLY good, so have added it to my repertoire. (I sell what I use. I do not promote stuff I don't use.)