I purchased 3 cattleya orchids and decided they needed repotted in new bark/orchid mix. While repotting I wondered, do these roots look ok? Much different from the phalaenopsis orchids I am used to growing. Also I noticed the dark edge of the middle leaf. Is this an infection? Is it treatable. Thanks for any help with this.
Congrats to exploring the world of orchids outside of phalaenopsis! They are so amazing. And kudos for jumping in feet first 😁 Now… Be prepared for the drama. Cattleyas are resentful of people messing with their roots. The best time to repot is when they are just beginning to actively grow new roots. Sometimes that is when they are putting on a new pseudobulb, sometimes right after flowering. It varies from type to type. The reason is disturbed roots usually die back. Based on the photo, I am not seeing new roots so you may have an uphill battle. It can be done but it’s tougher. You’ll need to manage the moisture it’s exposed too. They like it dryer than phals because of their stored water (pseudobulbs).But with the probable root loss, you need to help them out more. I am going through something similar with two Cattleyas. My solution is typical Cattleya mix top dressed with sphagnum. I’m hoping to keep the moisture close to the plant with out drowning any surviving or new roots. We’ll see what happens. If you haven’t already, check out Miss Orchid Girl on YouTube. She provides lots of info and various orchid topics. Best of luck to you (and me)!
4개 좋아요What about the leaf with the black edges. Is this anything to worry about?
Another shot of the roots
This side looks worse, the roots feel papery. The green ones on the other side feel like they have some substance to them.
That makes sense. Only new pseudobulbs will put out new roots. This side looks like it’s the back side of the plant so there will be more dead roots.
좋아요 1개Hard to say for sure, but I would keep a close eye on it- if it starts to spread down the leaf, it’s likely an infection- if not, it could be part of this plant’s history- some sunburn or lack of nutrients causing discoloration but not complete leaf tip die back.
0개 좋아요PS, what kind cattleyas are they? How do your other ones look?
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This is what the other two look like.
How do I rehydrate them?
0개 좋아요Beautiful! See M’s comments below about hydration. While they are recovering from repot and replenishing their pseudobulb water storage, you may notice they need to be watered more frequently than your phals. Don’t let them dry out too long between waterings until they start to grow more roots for you and plump up a bit.
0개 좋아요 I’m not sure about the dark spots on the edges but I am of a similar mind with Jen. It doesn’t look like freckling to me. Try wiping off the dark spots with a cotton swap soaked in rubbing alcohol. Maybe it’s just dirt. Regardless, quarantine the new plant for a month or so. Watch to see if the discoloration spreads accompanied with yellowing. That could indicate some kind of infection. At that point you will have more definitive symptoms to allow for effective research for treatment. If it were my plant, I would not be terribly concerned as long as it doesn’t get worse. Rehydrating a healthy plant typically involves providing water when the roots are dry. The pseudobulbs will become less wrinkled, but once wrinkled they will never be completely smooth again. Since yours have been repotted, they will could loose most or all their roots, so you’ll have to provide a more humid environment. That’s why I suggested topdressing the bark with sphagnum. You can keep it continuously moist (not wet). You may need to tent them as well. Once you see new root growth, you can switch back to a more typical Cattleya culture. I suggest doing some research on rehabbing orchids to find a method that feels comfortable to you.
좋아요 1개Thank you both! I had only begun repotting when I noticed the roots. The other two are still in their original pots. So I will hold off repotting them. How will I know when they need repotting? I did watch some of Orchid Girls videos but they were mostly about phals. I’ll have to search for the cattleya youtubes.
0개 좋아요Search miss orchid girl Cattleya repotting, or go through her Cattleya playlist- she’s got lots of informative stuff. A good time to repot cattleyas because of their sensitive roots and tendency to lose them, is when you see your plant starting to grow new fresh root tips- usually from a newer pseudobulb. Then, if the older ones die off, you’ll at least have these fresh ones to hydrate the plant.
좋아요 1개 👆 this 100%
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