pseduo bulbs shrinking/withering - advice

[kiki-do]

Hi SamandAnne,
I don't see any problems with your catt at all. Perhaps I'm missing something. All my catts look similar to yours, and the pseudo bulbs look fine. I would gently soak the roots and try to rinse off that growth hormone.
Now I haven't read the whole thread over again, so I'm flying on one wing here.
Your roots will be completely wet, and repot it in clay. Notice the heaviness of the plant and pot. Don't water again until the weight of the overall plant/pot is very light. (skewers will help you if you like, yes) Catts store water and they also like to go dry before rewatering. And it's better that they are on the dryer side than watering too often. From the looks of your roots, they are fine. If they were white, I would say they needed water. You also mentioned new growth....great sign!
You are doing great, pot it up and let her grow. I would not put it back into direct light, water, or fertilize for a week or so. Some light, but not too much. It needs to adjust from the repotting. Your climate is a tad warmer than mine, and I can go anywhere from 7 to 10 days without rewatering my catts. Of course, I've had nothing but rain since middle of June. When the weather is typical summer weather, I do mist around the root area sometimes.
Now every day you must walk by it and say "Hello Gorgeous!" and you will see a huge improvement in no time. Hey, I say that to all my chids every day!!!!!

[SamandAnne]

Hi kiki-do,

Thanks. It is the 3rd and 4th photo I was concerned about (taken yesterday) in comparison with the 1st and 2nd (taken early on when I got the orchid).

The roots now are white/dry when looked at "in person" (3rd & 4th photos). They felt like dry, hollow sheathes. I'm not too familiar with cattleya and what the roots SHOULD look like, but I think when I first re-potted when I bought this orchid they were green, still thin, but they did not have the dry, hollow feel they have now. You mentioned you'd be concerned if they looked white, which I think they are. Perhaps the photo doesn't do it justice (I did an image search on the web, and the photos do look similar to healthy ones...I think you can't see how white/dry they were in my photos). I think the difference is the roots had no substance--seemed dry and hollow when I touched them.

I'll move it out of the direct light and follow your instructions on not shocking it do to the repotting. If the roots are white and have a dry/hollow feel, what would you recommend also?

It does have the new growth, though, which is getting bigger! We had a rainy June, too, followed by a sunny July.

[SamandAnne]

I'm getting more concerned...the leaves on this cattleya are getting shriveled now, too, and the pseudobulbs on the oldest couple growths are pretty much flat. I did a search on this shriveling and dry roots...it suggested it was an underwatering problem, to mist and to wrap the roots in sphag until new roots and growths come.

Would you agree that might be a good idea for this orchid? Or is it ok and I'm too concerned, or other ideas?

Thanks!

[kiki-do]

I honestly don't know what to tell you. All I have to go by were the pictures you posted and that was just last week. But you said they are now looking worse?
Is it potted up now? Can you send along another picture of what it looks like now and what part concerns you so? I'm stumped.

[Zoi2]

Do you have root growth on the new lead?
Joann

[SamandAnne]

Thanks for sticking with me on this. I think I'm not describing things very well and having a hard time taking good root photos. Let me start from the beginning on the roots!

A few days ago when I took the orchid out of the pot, the roots were dry and felt hollow inside. The photos didn't capture it too well, unfortunately. I tried to take some more photos tonight (it has been potted between then and now). The roots tonight were wet from the soaking, so they looked more brownish. Most felt soft and on many the outer sheath is coming off exposing the stringy root inside, especially in the area of the old growth and the bottom. These are shown in the first two photos on this posting.

There were a small few roots at the top that felt firm, mostly in the area of new growth. The new growth itself has a 1" growth and then a couple 1/4" growths starting. There are a couple roots in this area that are firm. These are the 3rd and 4th photos on this posting.

These are the only ones that do feel firm (maybe 1-2 at the top and 1-2 around the new growth). The rest of the roots there for the most part are soft or have the strings exposed.

That's the way it was a few days ago with the roots. (There is still some white powder on the roots in the photos...that was the root hormone).

Today I noticed that the leaves were looking shriveled and the pseudobulbs were flatter than before. These are in the last photo on this posting.

Sorry for the confusion in my descriptions/pictures. Thank you very much for all your help!

[Zoi2]

My would be to wash off the powered root hormone and clip the dead roots and repot in water soaked bark and don't let it totally dry out.
My other option would be to wash off the powered root hormone, clip the dead roots and stick the plant in water culture for a couple of months.
Joann

[Bird Song Farm]

Originally Posted by Zoi2

My would be to wash off the powered root hormone and clip the dead roots and repot in water soaked bark and don't let it totally dry out.
My other option would be to wash off the powered root hormone, clip the dead roots and stick the plant in water culture for a couple of months.
Joann

Joann's suggestions are both good ones. I'd vote for the water culture. I've had very good luck bringing back "no root" plants using this method.
Al

[nutgirl]

I had a catt that looked like yours. The roots that feel hollow and pull apart are no longer alive. Cut them off. Check them carefully because sometimes they look brown and grungy but are still firm enough to be viable. Your new shoot is a good sign.

I used the water culture method on mine to get new roots started. They will form from where the new shoot is growing.

Maureen

[SamandAnne]

Thanks everyone. Would a good summary be:

1) Cut off any roots that are hollow/outside comes off. Maybe apply lysterine? Leave any roots that may have some substance inside, even if somewhat soft or look brown--they may still be viable.

2) Water culture: use a container (preferably glass) filled with water, so the non-root portion of the orchid is above water and the roots are submerged. Do even the good roots get submerged? Is air an issue?

2a) Place in original west-facing/less sun direction.

3) Add fertilizer to the water. Do I follow package directions or dilute it, in your experience?

4) Be diligent to change the water every week completely.

5) Take out of water culture when many new roots have formed and repot.

Does that sound right? Anything I should keep in mind?

Does it seem to you that I underwatered and gave it too much sun? I was trying to err on the side of dry for the cattleya. I notice one sunburn spot now that I didn't see before. It's now in the shadier west-facing area and the new shoots continue to grow. I'll try the skewers in the bark after the water culture.

Thanks, any suggestions/additions on the water culture and what I wrote above would be great. I just learned about it from a web search. Thanks!