Bummed - Orchid Board

Amanda L · #1 01-07-2016, 01:46 PM

I'm really bummed. I may have lost 2 of my Catts. I moved a couple of times in a month and my poor 'chids haven't had their grow lamps on them, or been properly watered, because of a various things. The main thing is not having a place to set them up properly. Due to this I may have lost my Apricot Glow and a NoID that I have brought back from the brink of death once. But, there are no leaves left on either plant and the p-bulbs look sad and withered.

Last night I rigged up 3 grow lamps and will keep them on for their regular 16 hour day. I will also clean them (they've gotten dusty and dirty) and soak them in a solution of SuperThrive and fert. I may have to rig up my trusty OICU and pay special attention to these catts for the next couple of months.

I'm going to attempt to set up my snake's aquarium as an orchidarium (I hope I'm allowed to call it that) and mount most of my 'chids. Doing this will hopefully minimize the shock to them when I move again this year.

I just wanted to vent to fellow growers. You guys understand the pain of losing a 'chid, especially ones that you've worked hard to make healthy and thrive.

silken · #2 01-07-2016, 02:28 PM

That is a bummer. And so frustrating when your hands are rather tied to do better for them.

But Catts are tough and thankfully have their pseudo bulbs to sustain them when the going gets tough. So they may pull thru yet if you can give them some attention now.

Good luck with them.

Amanda L · #3 01-07-2016, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silken

That is a bummer. And so frustrating when your hands are rather tied to do better for them.

But Catts are tough and thankfully have their pseudo bulbs to sustain them when the going gets tough. So they may pull thru yet if you can give them some attention now.

Good luck with them.

Thanks, I hope they do pull through. I'm not so sure they will, though. Their p-bulbs look pretty bad. I'll inspect further this Saturday when I get them cleaned up, watered and fertilized. If they have any p-bulbs that aren't completely destroyed I'll un-pot them and do my OICU thing for them. I cleaned up all the dead leaves from my Oncidium, Phals, Catts and my B. nodosa 'Little Stars'. Surprisingly the Catts did the worst of all of them. Although, the Onc looks pretty bad. It's grown a spike I'll be cutting off and not allowing to bloom. The plant is too stressed to support flowers. I don't want to stress it more.

My life is in chaos right now and my poor 'chids reflect it.

Orchid Whisperer · #4 01-07-2016, 02:40 PM

If the plants have at least some good roots, try the following.

1. Soak pot & roots overnight, plain water.

2. Remove from pot & remove loose medium. Don't worry about the stray bits sticking to the roots.

3. Daily, give the roots a good soak, plain water, for at least 30 minutes, up to a couple hours. Drain in between, let dry.

4. Keep doing the above for a couple weeks. Repot as you would for any other Cattleya & resume normal care. Hopefully if there are viable "eyes" you will get a new growth.

Good luck.

Amanda L · #5 01-07-2016, 02:43 PM

That's very similar to what I do with my OICU program. The only difference is that I keep them in a tall plastic soup container, with large rocks in the bottom and water, for added humidity. I leave the plant in the container, usually stacked somehow to prevent it from touching the water in the bottom. I mist the roots daily with a heavily diluted mix of fert and superthrive. I've only done this for rootless 'chids, though. I may skip the water in the bottom and opt for only staking and misting daily.
Good to know that I'm not the only one with similar rescue tactics. LOL

Amanda L · #6 01-07-2016, 08:59 PM

Well, I think they're gone. I'm not sure there's any coming back from this state.

Amanda L · #7 01-07-2016, 09:02 PM

Ugh, excuse all the fur.

With 2 dogs and a house full of cats, it gets everywhere. My 'chids will be getting a good cleaning and pampering this weekend.