What should I do with this cattleya?
 

To my surprise this year I got two new pseudobulbs on my orange cattleya. When the second pseudobulb came everything was good. Unfortuently as he leaves opened something bad happened. I know this probably was developing for a while but what is it. It went from being a few spots to the whole leaf. Should I cut the part of the leaf or the whole bulb.

Cutting it at this stage would make no positive difference for you or the plant. Leave it alone. If the growth dies, so be it. It most likely won't.

There's not enough info to diagnose the problem.

For be it for me to argue with the King, :biggrin:, but I would take a fresh razor, and cut it clean of all discoloration, then seal the edge with a mixture of cinnamon and Elmers glue.

This would hopefully stop any disease spreading to the rest of the plant.

I think I'm with got ants on this one, that's a pretty alarming-looking blotch on the leaf. It looks like you got some water in the lead while it was developing and a fungal infection resulted.

I would cut it well below the discolored area, probably just a bit above where the leaf comes out from the bract. The pseudobulb should develop fine sans leaf, the plant will lose a little photosynthetic capacity but better that than losing a whole new lead. :twocents:

--Nat

I agree with got ants and gnathniel, cut the leaf below the fungal area and seal with cinnamon.
Joann

Looks like some kind of rot, which can spread quickly. Just cut off the affected part, and cut off a good margin of healthy tissue too. Be sure to increase air circulation around the plant and make sure the leaves are dry by nightfall.

I would leave the bulb alone unless this have become infected. As for the leaf - just cut to the fresh clean tissue to stop the damage from going any further, looks like most of the leaf is a gonner.
This has happened to me a few times with catts, cutting the leaf(s) has worked for me in the past.

Don't sweat it & Good luck :)

Here's why I said, leave it alone:

The growth is still a bit too young...

1. I know it's young because the entire leaf hasn't emerged from the leaf bracts yet.

2. It's young because the pseudobulb has not developed yet.

3. The leaf bracts from when the growth was growing in is still largely intact.

4. The leaf is still folded.

If you cut it, the chances of the entire growth dying anyways, is rather high.

There's still a small chance that if you cut it, the growth may not die because of how far along the new shoot is in development, but I'm leaning more towards my first answer.

Note:

Realize that this plant is still developing, it hasn't stopped yet.

Cutting young shoots usually results in the young shoot dying. I don't know why. I don't quite understand it, but that's how it is.

If the growth is older and has developed a pseudobulb already, then I'd say cut it.

If the blemish has not been spreading, I'd leave it alone.

If it is spreading like wildfire, I have a feeling you'd be treating this problem with a lot greater urgency than you've been showing. I could be wrong.

It's difficult to make a diagnosis as to what it most likely is due to insufficient information regarding your cultural environment and cultural practices.

You simply didn't even mention it.

It's hard for anyone to recommend a remedy to the situation if no one knows what needs adjusting.

Taking care of the blemish itself is like slapping on a band-aid. It's good for a short while, until the problem recurs.

Taking care of what caused the blemish is the real cure.

(If any of this makes any sense.)

My point:

Please post cultural details, it makes solving the problem easier.

Here's a good way to start:

1. Temperatures (posting in F or C doesn't matter - most of the world uses Celsius, but the US mostly uses F, unless they're scientists; conversion tables and online converters can do the job).

* Day.
* Night.
* Seasonal.

2. Humidity (aka relative humidity - RH). The numerical value is a percentage.

3. Lighting. Quantifiable and numerical values can be given, but not necessary. Descriptions to the best of your ability can work.

4. Pot size. (Here's where a pic does wonders, because it shows pot size in relation to root mass. This is critical with orchid growing.)

5. Air circulation. Not quantifiable, I know, but kind of guesstimate and just use words like:

1. Low air circulation.
2. Moderate air circulation.
3. High air circulation.
4. Gusts of high winds (jk). ;)

Describe air circulation to the best of your ability.

Even a general idea of where you are located can help a bit. Some people in those areas could be more effective at further helping you out, because they know the climate of the area like you do. I know privacy can be an issue on the web, but nobody asked you for your address either. A city, county, or district, along with the state you're in is good enough.

Or at least post the USDA zone. That's not private information.

If older growths are also affected by this "rot", please show a pic of the entire plant.