Project 2016: Cattleya walkeriana

[stonedragonfarms]

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

I will certainly buy the humidity problem. I do try and I have 2 humidifiers going one in the kitchen and one in the living room. It can be so dry in the winter here. We are having rain now so things are good at the moment. Other wise I will just have to cut them out of there.

Have you considered placing them in an improvised wardian case over the dry winter months? It will stabilize rh in the growing area and keep your plants happy--something as simple as an aquarium with a sheet of clear plastic across the top will suffice.

---------- Post added at 01:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:23 PM ----------

Originally Posted by u bada

That's probably the trickiest thing about catts... repotting them at the right time... especially the species (especially bifoliates! ugh!)... thankfully the hybrids are far easier and more adaptable

however, as already stated, mine hasn't done a thing growth wise how many months into spring and i didn't touch it, repot, move it or anything...

If it has not done a thing, then I would try changing the culture--I'd also look to see what shape the roots are in. On a side note, if the plant in question has any sophronitis in its parentage, you may not see root growth until the fall, though you should be seeing new vegetative growth at this time.
I don't grow a lot of species catts, but find that when I am "forced" to repot them out of season, I have much more success by removing them from their pots, removing as much media from the root zone as possible (and removing dead/damaged roots at the same time) and placing them bare root in clay pots on the bench. They get watered along with the rest of my collection, but I wait on putting them in media until I see new roots forming. I follow this practice under lights as well and have found that I lose far fewer plants than if I put them into new media at the wrong time of the year.
Just my $.02,
Adam

[Leafmite]

I have had Cattleya aclandiae seedlings do nothing for a year before deciding to grow (after potting up at the wrong time). Then they are usually okay. Like Stonedragonfarms has noted, if you need to move an orchid at the right time, the more exposed the roots are to air, the less chance they will die. Air keeps the roots from getting infected if they are damaged.

[Optimist]

I have noticed something. The Walkeriana I got was wrinkly when it first arrived, and I can even see it on the original e-bay photo when I bought it. I have watered it, and even left it in the rain at one point, and now that wrinkled leaf is taut, like a drum. My observation is that the leaves really do "fill up" quickly, more-so than any other orchid storage bulb I have encountered.

[Leafmite]

[wintergirl]

Here is my C. walkeriana coerulea from Andy's. Got it today. It looks like a nice healthy plant. It has freckles

007.jpg

[Leafmite]

What a nice one!

[Orchid Whisperer]

I have three seedlings of C. walkeriana 'Carmela' semi-alba, and wanted to try growing it three different ways. Initially when I bought the plants, one went on a section of tree fern, the other two went into plastic net pots set inside a standard plastic pot until I decided what I wanted to do with them.

I had been thinking of mounting one of the three. After observing their growth for awhile, I decided this would be a good project for the morning. The plant I chose was one of the ones in a net pot, new roots beginning, but not progressed too far:



There is a new growth with some new roots at the base.

Next, I looked at some of the possible mounts I had available. I opted for a natural piece of heart-of-pine, then evaluated which side to mount the plant on. Having seen other mounted walkerianas, they seem to spread a lot on mounts, so I didn't want the mount to be too small; better to have room to grow:



I added a wire to the mount and placed the plant low on the mount, going upward. Here it is (although I straightened it a bit after this photo):

[No-Pro-mwa]

Stonedragon how would that be with air flow? I would think it wouldn't get enough.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Optimist

I have noticed something. The Walkeriana I got was wrinkly when it first arrived, and I can even see it on the original e-bay photo when I bought it. I have watered it, and even left it in the rain at one point, and now that wrinkled leaf issues taut, like a drum. My observation is that the leaves really do "fill up" quickly, more-so than any other orchid storage bulb I have encountered.

Yep, all of mine did the same thing. Adaptation to intermittently dry climate, most likely.

[u bada]

stonedragonfarms, unfortunately I can't change the culture all that much, so it's just a matter of seeing what it does this year... no brighter spots, and in that spot the green is borderline burned... so it would have to be shadier spot if moved and doubt that would do anything but set it back even further from flowering... rather try watering it more anything to change... I have a feeling it's more the cold/heat thing. i have a bunch of stuff sitting doing nothing while it's been cooler here (nights low 50's, days top at 70 lately)... once it's warmer i think is when it'll initiate something. At Andy's orchids, they grow them in the warm/hot greenhouse even though it can handle cold, and it's probably for a reason.

Wintergirl, what a beautiful little one... when you can get something beautifully attached to the mount, it's totally worth it! congrats!

Orchid whisperer, what a beautiful mount! and how did you get it cultured with moss already? Think pine is without resins? and such little cuties are the walkerianas... I usually mount a plant at least slightly up the mount to accommodate side growths should they happy, but just adding that, but looks great!