Just took a close look at my bag baby walkeriana and it's not only growing new roots, but looks like it's got new growth as well.

It's on a shaded south facing porch with the rest of the orchids for the summer. I mist everything that's out there daily, and the plants get direct early morning sun followed by dappled shade the rest of the day. I agree with Leafmite that it seems to like the warm (and humid) weather we're having in Ohio this week.

Catherine

Who knew that Ohio would be perfect for growing orchids? :)

The flower is from February this year. It's C. walkeriana v. caerulea 'Azul Perfecta' x 'Edward'. I got it in 2014, at a botanical garden show, not really knowing what to expect. It was in bark, and after it bloomed I repotted it into coir chips. Not sure if that was a good idea, but I have two new happy growths, and I expect they will both bloom. I think the two flowers in the first picture are on a single lead.
I appreciate the detailed culture recommendations from CatWalker; I'll have to pay closer attention to my plant.

Leucadian--nice flowers! Congratulations!

I'm finding with mine that it doesn't like damp at all--I'm definitely going to put mine on a mount sooner rather than later. I'm waiting for the new roots to get a bit bigger first...

Catherine

Just offering :twocents: here, but if you have some new roots growing, I would go ahead and get it mounted very soon, no need for the roots to get bigger. My mounted C. walkeriana has grown well while the temperatures are hot and humidity is high.

I just tied the bare root plant to the wood mount and the plant has taken off, with roots hugging the wood. When the weather cools and it is time to bring it indoors, I may tie some moss around the roots at that time, if the plant seems to have trouble staying hydrated.

Most of my roots are in the air. I just wet them daily. Mine are indoors.

Thank you Orchid Whisperer! I'd been debating whether to go ahead and mount while the weather is warm and humid. Seems like all the orchids I grow take off during the summer and put on plenty of new roots.

Wintergirl, I grow my mounted orchids in a south window in the house during the winter and they generally do quite well as long as I mist them once a day--I do skip a day every once in a while and it doesn't seem to phase them. Nice to know someone else grows them indoors on mounts!

Catherine

I finally get to join you guys
 

I just won an auction on ebay for my Walkeriana. I'm so excited because I wanted to join this project from the beginning, and have been following the posts you guys have made. It should be here in 5 or 6 days, so I will post a photo then. It comes at a nice time for me as I have lost a few plants that I accidently "cooked" in my grow space. I hope I don't let that happen again :biggrin:

I am so happy to hear that you are joining the project! What exactly are you getting?

The title in the posting just said Cattleya Walkeriana-orchid species. No name listed, but the bloom is lavender with a white column and a touch of white on the lip. Maybe when I get it the tag will say. The plant is small , so maybe a year or two to bloom.

I think I might just mount my SVO walkeriana, I like the way the Andy's mounted one is growing.

I think we all have a year or two until we see blooms. I am excited, though. I think they are all going to be beautiful!

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I love the wood Andy's Orchids used for the mounts of these. It makes the mount like a piece of art. :)

I split mine in two; I mounted one and potted the other. They're both throwing new roots like crazy; the potted one is also pushing new bulbs :)


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Ok, I looked more closely at my potted plant. I almost have been avoiding it since the new growth broke off. I have a 2nd new growth that seems to have sprung up overnight so I won't mount it now. Here is a picture of the new growth on both my plants:

Attachment 122013

Attachment 122014

Very nice! The new growths look healthy! :)

My Walkeriana
 

Well, guys, it's here. I don't know quite what to do with it.:( It only has 2 so-so roots and a couple that may or may not be viable. I was very disappointed as the photo in the ad showed about 6 decent roots. I'm thinking maybe I should mount it so I can control the moisture it gets better. It's pretty dehydrated, but I don't want it to get wet enough to rot the two roots that are left. Any opinions ?? Thanks

Ouch. It's a vigorous grower when it's just sort of happy, so don't lose faith.

I would mount it with no moss, or very little moss if you can't bring yourself to do that. Whatever, don't cover the roots with moss. Let them and the rhizome be exposed to light.

I soak everything I repot or mount in KelpMax for 15-30 minutes first. If you don't have that, but have another rooting product, I would use that.

Start in bright shade and the highest humidity you can give. When it starts rooting you can move it to more light.

I understand your disappointment but it should recover. One thing I have learned with Cattleyas is that when re-potting out of season (after the growth of roots on the newest pseudobulb), it is best to leave the roots fully exposed to the air. Mounting would work well or, if you would rather pot it, just staking it on top of the medium would work fine, too.

I have found my C. walkeriana/walkeriana hybrids to be quite tough. After you have it set up, I am guessing it will start another new growth soon, especially if you grow it under lights. Good luck!

I have recovered a couple $7.00 seedling Cattleyas in similar or worse shape this year, so don't lose hope.

My advice is somewhat similar to estacion seca and Leafmite. You can go ahead and mount as he described, or you can just place the plant bare root in an empty terracotta pot in the shade, or do as I did for the summer and hang the plant bare root in the shade somewhere. Soak the roots in a seaweed extract solution (or other rooting product) first, then place it wherever you want it to recover (in the shade, on a mount, or empty pot, or just bare root). Spray roots with water at least daily. I would repeat the seaweed extract/rooting product applications at whatever frequency is suggested on the product label. By the time cold weather arrives, or before, it should be sending out new roots.

I would not be real thrilled with the Ebay seller of this plant. It can't hurt to let them know how you feel about getting a plant in this condition. You have the skills to bring it back though.

Thanks all for your quick responses. I do intend to let the seller know I'm not happy, but I don't expect to get much satisfaction. I have added their name to my "Ebay Sh** List" so I won't order from them again.
I do have kelp max and will soak before I do anything with it. I know it's only recommended to use it once a month, so I will do that. The empty pot or mounting ideas sound workable and kind of where I was going when I said I didn't want to keep it too damp to rot off the only good roots. I think I'll keep it bare root for a bit and see how that goes, and if it starts to perk up I may mount it.

The newest growth looks like it has an "eye" for a start of another growth. So hoping for the best. Surprised someone would sell that on Ebay. I have been very lucky with the plants I got on Ebay for the most part.

When I'm rooting plants I use KelpMax weekly. I think Ray suggested that someplace here on Orchid Board.

I have also been mostly satisfied with the ones I have gotten on Ebay. I even checked my purchase records and found I had gotten one other plant from this same seller and it is still alive. It was a kingianum cross.

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It says on the bottle to not use more than every two weeks, but I am not above using it once a week for a while if it will help.

Honest seller on Ebay
 

I just wanted to let you all know that I got a full rebate from the seller. He apologized and said it was his last one or he would have replaced it, but he refunded the full price I paid plus he even rebated the shipping. Kudos. :biggrin:

Great! Looks like the Vendor is a decent fellow. :)

An honest Ebay seller behaving well deserves a mention. If you don't mind, what is the seller's name on Ebay?

OMI1011 Glad to give him a shout out. Great response and really fast. I'd go to him again.

I just put him on Favorites :)

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...ca847fee16.jpg
New growth coming out, seems like it's pretty happy

Is it just a growth? It for some reason looks different.

looks kinda more like a bud

I don't think it is haha
I know it's a small species but at 3 inches tall I'd be surprised haha

Well now I have problems with the new growth on my potted plant. The tip has dried up.

Attachment 122172

Oh no!

Not good.

I wonder what happened? It may still put out a new growth from the bottom so do not despair yet.

When this happens I go back, read the growing information, and try to figure out what might have been the cause:

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...-blooming.html

The plant has been in the same location. We have been having a very hot couple of weeks and that probably caused the problem. It is indoors but there is no air conditioner only a fan. I have even reduced some of my lighting due to the heat. I pulled the plant back away from the window.

Walkerianas can grow pretty warm so not sure it was the heat... Mine was out in 100+ the other month for a hot spell and it's new growth didn't cease (it's been mid 90's here and there for the past month)... however... I looked at it one day maybe a couple months ago and out of the pot a gazillion ants were running in and out of pot!

I depotted and sadly it didn't have much roots (I'm guessing I watered it too much when it was 40 degree weather, I was at Cal orchid where I got it the other weekend and they told me not to water it next to at all in winter. and not a unusual story, growing things in pots remains a challenge for me...)

So I trimmed all the bad roots, which left only 2 good roots, and mounted it on a piece of cork. The new growth has continued to grow and it just formed a new root, knock on wood this continues... and by the way it gets some direct morning light, although since it's been hotter I just keep it just a tad bit shaded. I think last year I kept it in too bright sun. Every grower I've seen it at lately appear to have it in about 60% shade.

Knowing it'll be yet another year before a bloom on mine, just ordered a coerulea form BS size should get it hopefully this coming week LOL

Not sure it was temperature related, unless there was zero airflow... Both my mounted walkeriana & potted are outdoors and we've been hovering near 95-100° the past few days, root tips look good and new growths are pushing on the potted plant. When & how often are you watering? I've been hitting my plants in the early morning (pre dawn) and again at dusk or shortly after.


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