Catt amethystoglossa fail

[isurus79]

Normally I like to post about my successful attempts at orchid culture, but sometimes I have to report about my failures. Here is an example of the latter.

I potted up a Catt. amethystoglossa about year and a half to 2 years ago in s/h and I think I screwed up, though I'm not entirely sure. I tied the plant down with zipties and grew it inside, so I know that it was VERY secure in its pot, but the plant was just not able to get a good root system going in that time. It had 3 growths and each time, the roots would stop growing into the media about 1.5" in length. Each successive growth was also quite a bit shorter than the previous one, most likely due to an aged, less than optimal root system.

I noticed that the current flush of roots was growing very nicely on top of the media and any roots that were growing down, were on the very edge of aborting new growth. I made an executive decision and will be potting this plant in coir, but I think my error was creating a water well that is too deep. When I unpotted the plant, everything was sopping wet almost all the way up to top of the media. I have a Catt. leopoldii that I potted the same way and have similarly unpotted due to its dislike for identical growing conditions.

I'd love any input into this issue because while I think I've determined the cause my plants rejection of this growing method (too deep of a water well), I'm not entirely sure. These plants get plenty of good light and I use R/O water with light fertilizer to water. They get flushed about 1x per week.

I'd also like to mention that the purpose of this post is not to denigrate s/h, but rather show my mistakes so that others might not do the same. Here are the pics:

These are the roots that are rejecting the deeper media as they grow:
Catt amethystoglossa s/h fail by Isurus79, on Flickr


Catt amethystoglossa s/h fail by Isurus79, on Flickr

Happy roots on surface:
Catt amethystoglossa s/h fail by Isurus79, on Flickr

Pot showing well depth and overall pot height:
Catt amethystoglossa s/h fail by Isurus79, on Flickr

[Brooke]

Your pot looks to be approximately the same depth as the pots Ray sells. Sometimes certain plants just don't do well in that method and some love it.

You haven't lost the plant, you have great new roots so it should recover just fine. I use LECA for my amethystoglossa in a clay pot and the roots are rampant. I use that method for all Catts now except the mounted ones.

Brooke

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by brooke

You haven't lost the plant, you have great new roots so it should recover just fine. I use LECA for my amethystoglossa in a clay pot and the roots are rampant. I use that method for all Catts now except the mounted ones.

Brooke

I'm guessing that you're using the LECA merely as media and not in a semi-hydroponic method?

I'd love to mount my Catts! They'll be outside in the Texas heat this summer (100+ degrees for weeks on end), so they need something more retentive. I'm hoping to get a greenhouse sometime. Eventually. lol

[Brooke]

Yes I use the LECA as the media. Too bad the s/h didn't work out for you.

Brooke

[smweaver]

I use LECA as a medium also, Steve, and all of my cattleyas do pretty well in it (mixed at about half LECA with half large-grade Rexius bark). But since I've never tried growing anything in s/h, I can't offer any words of advice or encouragement to you. Please don't be offended by the question, as I know you're an experienced grower, but you didn't repot the C. amethystoglossa at the wrong time, did you (that is, when it wasn't actively initiating roots)? That's the only time this species has ever given me trouble (which was, of course, entirely my fault and not the plant's).

Hopefully both the amethystoglossa and the leopoldii can be salvaged. Good luck--and sorry about the bad experience.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by smweaver

Please don't be offended by the question, as I know you're an experienced grower, but you didn't repot the C. amethystoglossa at the wrong time, did you (that is, when it wasn't actively initiating roots)?

Hopefully both the amethystoglossa and the leopoldii can be salvaged. Good luck--and sorry about the bad experience.

Steve,
No offense taken!! I did repot at the correct time (new roots buds pushing out of the new growth) and have had several growths come out since the original, so even if the timing was off, the subsequent growths should have compensated. Each growth had the same result: young roots that eventually aborted growth at about 1.5" in length. Very frustrating!!

As for the health of the plants, they are both in good shape and I'm expecting a full recovery. I actually cut the leopoldii in half and have a 3 bulb front division (which I'll keep) with a new growth sending out roots and a 6.5 bulb back growth (which I'll trade) with old but viable roots and several good eyes.

Experimenting is definitely more fun when it works!! lol

[smweaver]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Experimenting is definitely more fun when it works!! lol

Yes, it is--possibly because, at least for me, it's fairly rare. :-)

[Stray59]

Too bad about the failure in the S/H experiment; but I want to thank you for having the chutzpah to admit it and, as you say, let others learn from your mistakes - but who knows, maybe someone will have the answer for why the roots did not mature correctly. It is very odd to say the least. Maybe this was the way the plants had of rejecting their growing condition, but I have never had a Cat with stunted root growth like that unless it wasn't getting enough water to encourage further growth.
Again, thanks for posting and giving us something to quiz over!
Steve

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by Stray59

Too bad about the failure in the S/H experiment; but I want to thank you for having the chutzpah to admit it and, as you say, let others learn from your mistakes - but who knows, maybe someone will have the answer for why the roots did not mature correctly. It is very odd to say the least. Maybe this was the way the plants had of rejecting their growing condition, but I have never had a Cat with stunted root growth like that unless it wasn't getting enough water to encourage further growth.
Again, thanks for posting and giving us something to quiz over!
Steve

Thanks for the words of encouragement! I figure my failure can be someone else's thought provoked solution or just a cautionary tale to prevent future frustration. Hopefully I'll have blooms on these plants in year.....or less.

[trdyl]

Steve,

Thanks for posting this. I just put an C. amethystoglossa in SH a little over a week ago. I'll be sure to keep a watchful eye out now.