Blc. with black spots/yellow leaves

[etcherkate]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Both of those hybrids are quite cold-tolerant, so I really don't think temperatures are a problem (Ctna. Why Not is blooming as I write, has been going for several weeks, and while I don't have Blc Wainae Leopard, I know others who have grow it outside in my area) If you suspect bad media, you're probably right. Don't worry about the new grows that have failed... once conditions improve, it will very likely pop out some new ones successfully. Watch for signs of rooting (new growth may be an indicator and it may not) and as soon as you see that happening, drop whatever else you may be doing and repot. (C. gutttata, which is half of Wainae Leopard, is rooting now on my two plants. So keep an eye on it)

Thanks for the helpful information! I repotted a few months ago but inadvertently bought orchid bark a size smaller than expected. I ordered some larger bark today and will repot as soon as I see new root growth.

In the meantime, do you suggest cutting away the damage or just leaving it alone?

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by etcherkate

Thanks for the helpful information! I repotted a few months ago but inadvertently bought orchid bark a size smaller than expected. I ordered some larger bark today and will repot as soon as I see new root growth.

In the meantime, do you suggest cutting away the damage or just leaving it alone?

Unless you see rot spreading down the rhizome toward the rest of the plant, I think you're safe just leaving it alone. It is very likely that there are "eyes" at the base of the new growths that didn't make it, that could be the source of new growths. If you have to cut, the main part of the plant will also most likely have "eyes" to develop into new growths. If the rot looks like it is spreading back toward the rest of the plant than cutting before it gets farther, and dusting the cut with cinnamon (a natural fungicide) would be in order. So for right now, I think just keep an eye on it.

[estación seca]

When I say it isn't warm enough, I mean by day. Southern California has many winter days that are much warmer than what etcherkate has inside her house. This winter, it's mostly been warmer there than it has been here in Phoenix.

Plants are better able to tolerate cooler nights if they have warmer days following. Long periods of day and night temperatures at the cool end of acceptable are really hard on many tropical plants grown indoors for a long winter. I still think cool temperatures are at least partly responsible for losing the new shoot.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by estación seca

When I say it isn't warm enough, I mean by day. Southern California has many winter days that are much warmer than what Etcherkate has inside her house. This winter, it's mostly been warmer there than it has been here in Phoenix.

Plants are better able to tolerate cooler nights if they have warmer days following. Long periods of day and night temperatures at the cool end of acceptable are really hard on many tropical plants grown indoors for a long winter.

Days are hardly getting much above 70 F. most of the time now. We had some hot spells (even those, it's only for a few hours, cool most of the day and of course night), but we're back into a normal weather pattern finally. Highs will be in the 60's to low 70's now, probably through most of March except for the occasional hot spell. Might be rough on Phals and most Vandas(which wouldn't be outside anyway) but Catts? I have not seen that they care much as long as nights stay above freezing. 60 F deg at night is pretty toasty (commercial growers don't even go lower than that). If there is any factor that annoys Catts in winter, I suspect that it is the short days, since they do like light and they're not getting a lot.