Hardening Catasetums in the Fall ahead of dormancy

[@williamstyczynski1332]

I live in pompano just north of you growing orchids for about 7 years and I enjoy your.videos and your advice on the hobby thanks

[@orchidhouse]

My pleasure and thank you for sharing your positive thoughts :)

[@michaeldornan7737]

Great - you and Van Kampen Lewis are a great help! Thanks..

[@orchidhouse]

Glad to be of service :)

[@Muffin21814]

Hello Olivier, I seem to be going backwards on your videos today. I wasn't getting my notifications, so I had to resubscribe. 😊👍

[@orchidhouse]

Welcome back!

[@Romann86]

Beautiful Collection🙂... please make a garden tour video Sir😁

[@bibicheknauf4163]

Thank you very much for a clear and precise description!

[@orchidhouse]

You're most welcome!

[@vssecretgarden]

Hello! I own some catasetum and your explanations are very helpful. I am still learning about catasetum. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Have a great weekend!

[@orchidhouse]

You too! Thank you!

[@kin4865]

Who has Norman Tupper? That’s my favorite out of your collection! I missed hamilyn orchids. Next time . Didn’t have the cash😑😑

[@orchidhouse]

I bought Ctsm. Norm Tupper from Jim-N-I-orchids (Miami) in June 2020. Not sure if they still carry it but you can try. The "I" in Jim-N-I is Melana Davison. There is a catasetum named after her by her husband Jim (the Jim in Jim-N-I) and it is one of the most awarded Ctsm hybrids in the US.

[@311badfish]

Great information. Could you do a video about your display stands? I like the ones that seem like driftwood. I live in the keys and think I might be able to create some like that to have by my pool. Thanks!

[@orchidhouse]

Thanks! Re the display stands, I bought these 2 pieces from a store. I did not make them myself.

[@orchidhouse]

You have a good view of one of the stands (they are similar) at the beginning on this video of my Cattleya violacea. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZ3clod-lteJptU

[@debbiemorey6972]

Hello Olivier First time growing I my catasetum I have only leaves no sign of flowers.I have had one small bottom leaf turn yellow.My catasetum FDK. After Dark :Baker's Burgundy Smile; Do I keep watering normal and wait to see if it going to bloom.Or put it to go dormancy Thank you Debbie From Quebec Canada

[@orchidhouse]

Based on your description, the plant is not yet going dormant. I would continue watering but reduce schedule and let it dry out. FDK are harder to bloom than standard Catasetums…. But they also bloom later. Give it more time. If no blooms, the plant may be too young…. Or does not get enough light.

[@ashwilliams779]

Bonjour Olivier. Magnifiques plantes comme d habitude !! Que conseilleriez vous comme catasetum à grosses fleurs ? Je cultive en panier dois-je attendre la reprise de végétation pour l installer ? Cordialement Gaby

[@orchidhouse]

Merci Gaby! Les 2 espèces naturelles à grandes fleurs sont Ctsm. pileatum -qui est la favorite des amateurs de Catasetums- et Ctsm. expansum. Les hybrides qui ont ces deux plantes comme ancêtre (avec un % élevé) sont en général de grandes fleurs. Ctsm pileatum est facile a trouver (en tout cas aux Etats-Unis) et elle est très spectaculaire!

[@TropiChic]

So is it safe to assume that if a catasetum has not flowered by now it won’t happen until next season? I have two that still have green leaves but have stopped growing. They are: Fdk. After Dark Sunset Valley Orchids and Ctsm. John C. Burchett Ursa Major x Ctsm. Susan Fuchs Burgundy Chips.

[@orchidhouse]

Not necessarily! Fdk are notoriously late bloomers. They could both still flower. Crossing fingers!

[@TropiChic]

@@orchidhouse Me too! Thanks

[@TropiChic]

Should I remove the fertilizer baskets with nutricote during the hardening stage?

[@orchidhouse]

Yes, I would. Fertilizing at this stage is mostly useless except for those plants that are still going strong but the vast majority must have stopped growing at this point in time.

[@TropiChic]

@@orchidhouse Thanks 👍

[@patsfreund9164]

Thank you! Appreciate that someone in my area clearly explains how to care for these orchids. I'm in Pompano Beach. Noticed that you grow under a shaded patio. Do you find that the screening is adequate during the summer months for growing cattleyas, etc. without burning? I currently put up a shade cloth in my lanai, but am thinking of getting it screen snclosed. Also....do you grow Chysis? Do you grow them like Catasetum?

[@orchidhouse]

You're welcome neighbor! In my experience, a screened in area is a PERFECT environment to grow most orchids. Shade loving plants like Phals or Stanhopeas will need extra protection with shade cloths beyond the screen but Dendrobiums, Cattleyas, Catasetums etc... grow perfectly under the screen. My screened in area gets a lot of sun coverage throughout the day and I believe my Cattleyas grow better as they get a lot more light without risk of sunburn by being exposed to direct sunlight. Nobody has ever been able to tell me what % of shade the screen provides but it works great. It also reduces (a bit) the excess water we get during torrential downpours and it keeps the iguanas at bay! So, I strongly encourage you to do it! I grew a Chysis limminghei until a few days ago (I just gave it to a friend) and yes it grows like a Catasetum with a similar life cycle. I would encourage you to join the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society. Fun group and you learn a lot!

[@kin4865]

Thank you so much. I’m still a little confused on cataseum. I was still watering and fertilizing. I have had a couple of leaves fall off yellowing but not many. So reduce watering by half then cut off all together? Even if you still have leaves? When do you start back up? Spring? Thank you so much 😊

[@orchidhouse]

As long as they have a full set of leaves you can still water but you can reduce water in half when yellow leaves show up and stop fertilizing altogether for those with yellow leaves. As to when to start watering again after dormancy, you can look at my video on the subject. Link to my video on when to start watering a Catasetum after dormancy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=23wxz...

[@bibicheknauf4163]

HELP: I have a Ctsm. John C. Burchett Ursa Major x Ctsm. Millie’s Frilly Dragon “ Chocolate Frills” from Sunset Valley. I got it in early fall and have been watching your videos on Catasetums. So, I have not watered it. The bulb is still pretty hard but there is a new growth a little over 1” long😱. Is this normal? I think that I am NOT supposed to water it until the new roots are pretty big but, there are NO new roots at all? Thank you in advance for any tips😍

[@orchidhouse]

It all sounds perfectly normal and exciting for a new year's growth 🙂Now is the perfect time to repot the plant before it starts making roots because you risk damaging the roots while repotting. You can look at my video on repotting on how I do it. Roots usually come shortly after the new bulb grows but it can take longer. You should wait until you have 3 to 5" of new growth AND (cumulative!) 3 to 5" of new roots. Then you can start watering. It is very hard to resist the temptation to water but as long as your backbulb is hard, the plant has enough energy to support the new growth and the longer you wait, the more you force the plant into making roots, and the sturdier it will be for the upcoming growing season. I would say it all sounds perfectly normal, but I would repot now and hold off on watering, probably for another 2 months (but the plant will tell you "when"). Good luck!

[@bibicheknauf4163]

@@orchidhouse thank you so very much. Just watched your repotting video and I need to get some coco fiber😉 then, I will be good to go. Once again, thank you so much.