Catasetum new shoots
 

OK, I have a couple of Catasetums that were from far enough away to be out of synch with the seasons here. Altho it is winter here they are only half grown, and in addition some are starting a new shoot.

A couple of questions.

Should I stop watering? After all, when the new shoot normally arrives in Spring, I know not to water until it is a decent length.

Will that cause problems for the big shoot if if I stop watering it till the new shot grows some?

Finally, What does watering do to new shoots to damage them? Does it sit in the new leaf sheaths and encourage rot, or what?

I wouldn't water until the new roots - not the old roots - are around 10cm long each.

I have been dealing with the same thing over here. The plants came from South of the Equator and were starting growth in the Autumn. I treated them as any new growth and waited for roots to start watering. One actually bloomed, while the others just languished, as there is not enough light for them. I am very carefull with watering and hope to slow the growth enought that they will wait until March-April to really start going. So far, so good, but one or two habve aborted their new growth and gone into a rest period.

In short, you need to let the plants dictate what they need. Without active roots, they cannot take up water, so this no-water rule applies generally at this time of the year. Misting to prevent to much bulb dessication. From my current observations, some plants are going to essentially miss a growing season, while a few are actually going to squeeze another season in there. If there is a rule, then the plants don't know it and neither do I!

I agree with the above statements.

Bil- Remember that watering young roots in this group will cause them to stop growing. Wait until the roots are really, really long before you water. If you are not sure, then wait longer before applying water.

Now this is the sort of information I was looking for.

The watering kills the roots or just stops the roots growing?
How does that work please?

Just been having a poke around, most of them have decided that spring is on it's way.. and new buds and shoots are busting out of almost every one.

I'm not sure how it works, but your roots will stop growing if they're too small and touch water. I've done it more times than I care to mention!

You'll probably end up waiting for your first water in April or May if they're just starting to grow now. The roots need be 3-4 inches long at minimum, but the plant can handle much longer roots and bulbs will fatten back up once water is applied. Keep 'em dry!!

OK, thanks for that. That is just as weird as anything tho. Does anyone now how that works? Only the idea that water touching the roots will stop them growing is so counterintuitive.

Tell me. I can see that this all works easily enough when a dormant bulb pushes out a new spike, but with these, the bulbs are at the sort of state you would expect in summer, with well established, leafy bulbs.
Will keeping them dry for the next 2-3 months cause problems for these 'summer' pBulbs?

Also, another question please. Repotting Catasetum. Are they very sensitive to this, and need to be potted ONLY at a certain time, or are they more forgiving?

Here's an interesting point on watering that differs from what a lot of people say.

http://www.aos.org/AOS/media/Content...ries-Ctsm6.pdf

This also on why the leaves are key.

"Catasetums have plicate leaves that unfurl as they grow. Any small amount of water entering the whorled leaf will rot the new growth before the leaves can unfurl. Wait until the new growth is 4 or 5 inches tall. Only then is it safe for you to water your plant. "

Catasetum new shoots
 

Thanks for this thread.
My C. tenebrosum came to me from Columbia last summer and started to grow in November.

I started to water it when the roots where about 3cm long each.
It has five or six big fat buds ready to open and a new spike emerging out of the same new PB.

I grow it in pure sphagnum in a little net pot. I dunk it in water maybe every 5 days or so. No water from the top.