My problem Catt save attempt

[Otis226]

OK,besides not having a good idea of exactly where to post this. I was hoping someone well versed in cattleya growth and care could comment. I've had this NoID catt division for 4 1/2 months now. A neighbor gave up on it and it was practically rootless and fell into 2 pieces when I went to check the roots. Totally waterlogged and rotted. I at first had it terribly over potted, and have since corrected that. I've had it in bark, LECA and now lava rock. I've had it in spag 'n bag, in my lanai, and now outdoors hanging in a tree. It produced a new growth about 1 1/2 months after I started to try and save it, and quickly followed with a second growth, (both were a deep purple color, probably indicating that besides drowning it, the neighbor had it in full sun!) My problem is that now, close to 3 months later, the 2 growths have not advanced at all. The pbulbs and foilage continue to deteriorate daily, and I'm out of ideas on what to try to restart the growth. My feelilng is that whatever reserves this plant had left in foilage and pbulbs have just ran out, but I'd sure like to hear some other opinions, as it stil has green and isn't totally gone, yet.
Thanks for any help.
Tony

[silken]

Have you tried some KLN rooting hormone to try and promote some new root growth? It's not a magic fix but might help. The only thing is that the only part that will likely grow new roots is the new growths. And some catts do it much sooner than others in the development of the new growth. That's all I can think of, but maybe someone else can help. Good luck with it!

[Otis226]

I've heard of KLN, but never came across it. I've tried Rootone, B-1, B-12, liquid seaweed, prayer, chanting, ect. Nothing is getting this sucker to start growing again. That's why I'm thinking it is just running out of steam. I'll stay with it as long as anything is green, but I've had to remove 3 leaves and a few pbubls that rotted away, so it is not looking real good. The smaller division has done less than this one, even though I can make out some dormant buds.
Tony

[Junebug]

It's not uncommon for new growths on cattleyas to be purple looking for a while. Some of mine produce green growths and some purple, but in the long run they all turn green. Leca and lava rock are a little dry for encouraging roots, but they're great mediums once root growth has commenced...especially if you're growing outdoors in Florida. You might need to bump up the humidity just a bit to encourage roots. This can be achieved by adding a light loose layer of coconut husk fiber or spanish moss around the top of the pot. Mist the moss or fiber 2 times a day without drenching the new growths. Within a few weeks the growths should start growing roots. When the roots begin burying themselves you can remove the mossy stuff. This will encourage the roots to dig deeper into the pot in search of moisture. Good luck.

[silken]

Originally Posted by Otis226

I've heard of KLN, but never came across it. I've tried Rootone, B-1, B-12, liquid seaweed, prayer, chanting, ect. Nothing is getting this sucker to start growing again. That's why I'm thinking it is just running out of steam. I'll stay with it as long as anything is green, but I've had to remove 3 leaves and a few pbubls that rotted away, so it is not looking real good. The smaller division has done less than this one, even though I can make out some dormant buds.
Tony

KLN is made by DynaGro and they are a fairly weill known company with good products. Your other rooting hormone may be just as good, not sure. the suggestion of more humidity might help too.

[Otis226]

Originally Posted by silken

KLN is made by DynaGro and they are a fairly weill known company with good products. Your other rooting hormone may be just as good, not sure. the suggestion of more humidity might help too.

Thanks Silken, appreciate your help, but too little humidity ain't a problem here in Florida!! Any more moisture and the plants and I would be drowning. I've got some DynaGro products, (fertilizers, ect.), I purchased yrs. ago when I still lived in OH, but they're hard to come by in my neck of the woods and I don't do things like that online.
Best,
Tony

[Becca]

Hey Tony, how long did you have it in sphag-n-bag? I would think with your humidity in FL that you probably wouldn't need this method but you never know! Anyways my recommendation is to keep it humid in a shady but warm place and just be patient! It sounds like it has been through several changes and sometimes this could hinder it's growth. Hopefully if the new growths are stalled for good it can hang in there until it's next growth season...it may seem like a long ways but you would be surprised how long they can hang in there!

[Otis226]

Originally Posted by Junebug

It's not uncommon for new growths on cattleyas to be purple looking for a while. Some of mine produce green growths and some purple, but in the long run they all turn green. Leca and lava rock are a little dry for encouraging roots, but they're great mediums once root growth has commenced...especially if you're growing outdoors in Florida. You might need to bump up the humidity just a bit to encourage roots. This can be achieved by adding a light loose layer of coconut husk fiber or spanish moss around the top of the pot. Mist the moss or fiber 2 times a day without drenching the new growths. Within a few weeks the growths should start growing roots. When the roots begin burying themselves you can remove the mossy stuff. This will encourage the roots to dig deeper into the pot in search of moisture. Good luck.

Sorry, Junebug. I hadn't seen your post when I answered Silken. I agree that more humidity at the roots would be a good idea, and that's why this plant was in a modified 'sphag and bag' situation for over a month. All it lead to is a lot of mold and the use of a lot of SA-20. I've tried pure Sphag too for a while and that managed to rot a few roots that were trying to make a go of it. That's when I decided that drier would be better. Actually where I have it now, hanging in a pindo palm is a last ditch effort ... hoping that being outside in all this humidity and our daily thunderstorms would do the trick. It's getting A LOT of moisture believe me. So, I check it every couple of days and hope for the best. Not a valuable plant at all. I just don't want to give up as long as there's some life left in it. I don't expect to live to see it bloom if it does turn the corner!
Best,
Tony

[Otis226]

Originally Posted by Becca

Hey Tony, how long did you have it in sphag-n-bag? I would think with your humidity in FL that you probably wouldn't need this method but you never know! Anyways my recommendation is to keep it humid in a shady but warm place and just be patient! It sounds like it has been through several changes and sometimes this could hinder it's growth. Hopefully if the new growths are stalled for good it can hang in there until it's next growth season...it may seem like a long ways but you would be surprised how long they can hang in there!

Hey Becca! Between this guy and my new little Phals trying to go belly up, I'm starting to talk to myself . Naw not that bad yet. The sphag and bag try was just over a month, I think. It caused too much mold, even with me opening the huge plastic bag I had them in several times a week, and leaving a good opening in the top all the time. Guess I'll just have to concentrate on something else, and let nature take its course out in the steamy back yard. The other catts are putting out new growths real well, except that stubborn C. lodiggesii, which I guess is resting after blooming, and looking pretty pitiful. Got to get ready for the new things so that should get my mind off my problem 'save'.
Best,
Tony

[Junebug]

Originally Posted by Otis226

Sorry, Junebug. I hadn't seen your post when I answered Silken. I agree that more humidity at the roots would be a good idea, and that's why this plant was in a modified 'sphag and bag' situation for over a month. All it lead to is a lot of mold and the use of a lot of SA-20. I've tried pure Sphag too for a while and that managed to rot a few roots that were trying to make a go of it. That's when I decided that drier would be better. Actually where I have it now, hanging in a pindo palm is a last ditch effort ... hoping that being outside in all this humidity and our daily thunderstorms would do the trick. It's getting A LOT of moisture believe me. So, I check it every couple of days and hope for the best. Not a valuable plant at all. I just don't want to give up as long as there's some life left in it. I don't expect to live to see it bloom if it does turn the corner!
Best,
Tony

I've never had any luck with sphag in a bag...just doesn't work for me. In my area it's been brutally hot and dry even during days when it eventually clouds up and rains. I've been giving extra watering sessions to divisions during the dryer part of the day. Another trick I use to encourage roots on divisions or unhealthy plants is to stick their pots inside a large wire basket lined with coco husk. Then I mist the basket before the heat kicks in to bump the humidity around the plant during the hottest part of the day. This has worked well so far.