Cycnodes Wine Delight leaf spots and care

[Orchid-Obsessed]

Good day everyone

I received this blooming size cycnodes wine delight on June 11.

I repotted in orchiata bark and a bit of moss same size pot. It was in pure sphagnum moss. Weak Schultz fertilizer weekly with a flush. Temperature averages 28c during day, 19c at night. Humidity between 50ish to 60. Reverse osmosis water, I keep mix moist. Gentle air movement from 5” fan directed towards plant. Under a 3-arm full spectrum grow light on cloudy days, otherwise full sun on east facing window.

The leaves have some yellow dots And brown spots. Should I treat the leaves? Or other help please?

Should I spray the pseudobulbs and leaves with water to keep them plump?

Roots look healthy from what I can see through the clear holey pot.

Should put this plant outside when it’s 28c on the balcony to bloom, but humidity outside in summer here is 30% at best when it’s sunny.

I’d be grateful for any care tips, suggestions, etc. Thank you

[SouthPark]

I'm not sure what those spots are due to. But if the orchid is indoors and if there is not much (or no) air-movement, then organisms (eg. fungus or something) can grow and damage the leaves.

So if the leaves etc are being sprayed with water (indoors) and if the leaves don't get air movement to help them dry out after a relatively short time, then one possibility could be what is seen there.

Also - looking through the clear pot and observing outside roots is one thing. But what is hidden (at the middle of the pot) will be important too.

Also - when it comes time for the orchid to go into dormancy, things can happen pretty quick too (eg. yellowing of leaves, degradation etc) ------ so not always 'bad'.

[Orchid-Obsessed]

Thank you, I’ll make sure there’s always air movement directed to the leaves. I received this plant with those spots already- I forgot to mention.

Roots in middle of pot- shall I upon it to check? I reported when I received it on June 11?

Things happening fast...I hope it blooms this year. Am I giving it what it needs to bloom?

Please confirm I can spray the leaves -it’s ok that I spray the leaves and pb when it’s sunny and over 25C+?

I would love, love, love for one of orchids to please bloom this year: onc fragrant fantasy, sharry baby, sweet baby; blc golden flair, Sederia japonica, tolumnia rainbow, green paph, dendrobium kingianum and Parishii.a

[estación seca]

The Catasetum group generally should be repotted only when dormant and leafless, not when in leaf. They tend only to make roots at the very beginning of new growth; if you damage the roots the plant may struggle. Even if I received a Catasetum plant in poor potting medium and it was in full leaf, I would not repot.

This group also prefers warm and humid summer nights. They use huge amounts of water when in growth.

Look for spider mites. These plants are spider mite magnets.

[Orchid-Obsessed]

Thank you for your suggestion. I’ll hunt for some spider mites.

Maybe that’s why the new leaf on the plant doesn’t seem to be growing. I read/watched that it’s best to repot when we receive plants to make sure that the medium is still good, clean roots, cut dead ones, no pests or diseases (hydrogen peroxide spray on the whole plants.)

I’ll quarantine the plant in another room and monitor, then move to the plant room where all the others are after there are no signs of pests, etc.

Thanks again.

[SaraJean]

Originally Posted by Orchid-Obsessed

I read/watched that it’s best to repot when we receive plants to make sure that the medium is still good, clean roots, cut dead ones, no pests or diseases (hydrogen peroxide spray on the whole plants.)

That can work for many orchids, but definitely not all. The Catasetum types have a very strong season growth pattern. If you repot at the wrong time it can really set the plant back and stunt any growths. Very, very occasionally when I’ve missed my repot window I have slipped it out of the old plastic pot, dropped it in a new pot, and just filled in with sphagnum around the sides. I don’t clean off any media to reduce the risk of damage if the roots are already growing, but I still wouldn’t recommend doing that. Many people in various climates grow these in sphagnum because of the extremely high water needs when in active growth. It’s nearly impossible to overwater these if you start watering at the right time. They can definitely be grown in bark or other media but you have to water a whole lot more (like daily, or almost daily). The temps you mentioned are fine, these are definitely warm growers and can take a lot warmer than 27°C. It might bloom since it already has a big fat pseudobulb with good care (bright light, water, and food) if it didn’t get too damaged in the repot.

Like ES mentioned, these are a magnet for any sort of insect or mite. What you’re seeing could be older damage that’s already been treated (bugs, fungal or bacterial spots) or it could be a current problem. I would definitely wipe the leaves down with a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol to see if there’s any bugs. Isolating any new plant is always a good plan

Be sure to read up on Catasetum care on the Sunset Valley Orchids website and one of the members on here, Steve (isurus79), has some really nice and informative videos on this group.

[SouthPark]

Catasetums and spidermites are magnets hahahaha. The catasetum is one of the poles, and the spidermites are the opposite polarity pole.

I'm pretty sure that if we bundled a million spidermites together (in one spot), then a catasetum plant down below would actually rise up if brought close enough!!!!!

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by estación seca

The Catasetum group generally should be repotted only when dormant and leafless, not when in leaf. They tend only to make roots at the very beginning of new growth; if you damage the roots the plant may struggle. Even if I received a Catasetum plant in poor potting medium and it was in full leaf, I would not repot.

This group also prefers warm and humid summer nights. They use huge amounts of water when in growth.

Look for spider mites. These plants are spider mite magnets.

Originally Posted by SaraJean

That can work for many orchids, but definitely not all. The Catasetum types have a very strong season growth pattern. If you repot at the wrong time it can really set the plant back and stunt any growths. Very, very occasionally when I’ve missed my repot window I have slipped it out of the old plastic pot, dropped it in a new pot, and just filled in with sphagnum around the sides. I don’t clean off any media to reduce the risk of damage if the roots are already growing, but I still wouldn’t recommend doing that. Many people in various climates grow these in sphagnum because of the extremely high water needs when in active growth. It’s nearly impossible to overwater these if you start watering at the right time. They can definitely be grown in bark or other media but you have to water a whole lot more (like daily, or almost daily). The temps you mentioned are fine, these are definitely warm growers and can take a lot warmer than 27°C. It might bloom since it already has a big fat pseudobulb with good care (bright light, water, and food) if it didn’t get too damaged in the repot.

Like ES mentioned, these are a magnet for any sort of insect or mite. What you’re seeing could be older damage that’s already been treated (bugs, fungal or bacterial spots) or it could be a current problem. I would definitely wipe the leaves down with a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol to see if there’s any bugs. Isolating any new plant is always a good plan

Be sure to read up on Catasetum care on the Sunset Valley Orchids website and one of the members on here, Steve (isurus79), has some really nice and informative videos on this group.

Both of these folks offer great advice!

I was also thinking about bugs causing those spots. Sounds like you've got excellent quarantine (I really need to do that too!) and hopefully you were able to reduce or eliminate whatever was chewing the leaves. Definitely keep an eye out for more!

This group isn't fussy about humidity (no need to spray leaves), but does love lots of water at the roots (mine sit in water for half the year), fertilizer, sun, and heat (40+ degrees is fine) while actively growing. Also, they drop their leaves so any damage incurred during this growth cycle will disappear in the fall when the leaves drop.

[Orchid-Obsessed]

Thank you all!

I’ll put it outside in the east facing balcony but will also get south sun and monitor it’s water. I’ll be careful and not put in direct sun until it’s acclimated. Behind the potted tomato plant. Thanks for letting me know about not fussy about humidity (outside is only 25% ish).

No bugs, I checked with my lighted magnifying glass (kids shake their heads, convinced that I’ve gone mad&#128512.

Last week, I also wiped down all the leaves with 50% solution of 70% alcohol because there were honeydew droplets on wine delight and my one golden flare blc cattleya growth.

New questions please: I just saw new roots emerging from the roots ( like the roots are branching)....Is this bad?

I removed the dried out sheath on the bottom, but have noticed pics of senior member with them so I’m not sure if I should have removed them or not. I read that they could house scales on tolumnia plants ( I have 1 ) so I removed it.

I read the full thread plus all the links experiment that isurus79 and watched the PET YouTube and took notes on my journal. I sit my pot in a saucer of water too, I think similar to the PET principle😀.

Thanks everyone for your time and for sharing your expertise.

I won’t worry too much and get very discouraged anymore, this means a lot to me.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Orchid-Obsessed

New questions please: I just saw new roots emerging from the roots ( like the roots are branching)....Is this bad?

New roots growing from anywhere is good. To stay positive, should type 'is this good?' The answer is ------ it is good.