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vtandrea

Any hope for this sick cattleya?

vtandrea
9 years ago

I got this large catt from Kawamoto orchids and it has yet to bloom, although it put out 2 sheaths. Now the leaves are yellowing and blackening. It's been under lights since coming in after the summer on the screened porch, gets watered once a week. I can't figure out what's wrong, but am ready to give up on cattleyas once and for all. Should it go out to the composter? You'll notice 2 news p-bulbs and plenty of roots among the photos.

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Comments (14)

  • arthurm
    9 years ago

    The new growths are a good sign. Are there any drainage holes at the base of that pot?
    Maybe you left it just a little bit too long outside in the Autumn. Hard to say, but do you get lots of sunshine as Autumn begins to turn into winter. "Cattleyas" do not get to stressed if the night temps dip into the 40'F provided the day temps lift. Just guessing!

  • vtandrea
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Should I remove the diseased leaves? I tried to take this out of the pot but it's in there too tightly. I'd have to cut the plastic pot to remove it. At any rate, the roots are healthy looking. Yes, there are drainage holes and roots coming out of them.

  • jane__ny
    9 years ago

    No, don't repot now. It looks okay a bit red. Could be from high light or stress...probably a purple flower. Roots look a bit dehydrated.

    You can repot in the Spring. Also, I don't see any dead leaves.

    Just leave the plant alone and let the new growths, grow!

    Jane

  • arthurm
    9 years ago

    I agree with Jane, do not fiddle at this time of year....especially in zone 4 with limited light. Did the plant grow all those roots under your care or have you only had the plant for a short time?

  • jane__ny
    9 years ago

    I just want to add. I would do pot-on-pot and just stick the pot in a larger one and leave it until spring...or just let it grow on that way.

    Jane

  • vtandrea
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I appreciate all the input. Arthur, it came with many roots from Kawamoto last year. Can't remember exactly when. I didn't repot since it was in clear plastic so I could see the healthy roots. Thanks, Jane, I'll not worry about repotting. Have been doing the pot-in-pot for several plants already, but not cattleyas. These leaves are not red, some are turning black gradually. That's what has alarmed me. The flower is supposed to be a deep red but the sheaths never produced any. Should I stick with once-a-week watering for it?

  • philpet
    9 years ago

    I don't know if my glasses are not focusing correct but when I zoom in the second pic in, it looks as if their is a slight scale infestation between the leaves sheet where the blooms would come from, this would also explain the yellowing of the leaf brackets. Now I could be wrong (not a catt expert) but this happens to me, and this was how it looked. I used rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab to remove it.maybe someone else could zoom the pic and take a closer look.Velleta

  • vtandrea
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Velleta, I go after scale once a week with the alcohol/swab routine. I think the orchid has some sort of rot going on.

  • cooperdr_gw
    9 years ago

    I just wonder how you'd water it. Unless you dunked the whole pot in water wouldn't it all just run off onto the floor?

  • vtandrea
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I take it out of the cache pot and put it under the kitchen faucet to run water through it. Isn't that the way everyone does it? (Unless they have a greenhouse?)

  • cooperdr_gw
    9 years ago

    Wouldn't that wash out all the nutrients?

  • jane__ny
    9 years ago

    Cooper, don't worry about that.

    vt, cut off that leaf if it bothers you. It doesn't bother me. Looks like some old sunburn. Its an old leaf and will dry up anyway.

    Jane

  • westoh Z6
    9 years ago

    vt,

    I think the whole plant looks suspiciously splotchy. Something doesn't look right with the overall color and distribution of color on all of the leaves that I can see, but it may be from a lighting change when you got it? Personally, I'd separate it from the herd until I was sure.

    FWIW: I water over a 5 gallon bucket in my orchid room using a watering can. Saves many, many trips to the sink.

    Good luck,

    Bob

  • vtandrea
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hey Bob, that's a great idea. But I need to set my orchids on the kitchen counter so I can look at them closely with my reading glasses on! I won't let a single mealybug get by, LOL. And I also think the whole plant looks suspicious. Probably ought to bring it upstairs to the guest bathroom for the winter.