GrlIntrpted wrote:

Does no one else grow Catasetums on this board?



I do... A few, anyway. I used to have more, and probably will
again very soon. Problem with answering the questions below is that it
is very variable. I can't see the pictures, but if the plant is
otherwise healthy looking and the pseudobulbs are big and firm, then you
could be dropping leaves any time between a few weeks ago and January.
It gets really wonky if you grow under lights - no guesses then. Some
catasetums, even normally deciduous ones, will not bother dropping their
leaves if they don't get the right signals. Most seem to bloom
normally regardless. I still haven't figured out which conditions give
male or female flowers. There are a few schools of thought on that. I
suspect this varies by species as well.

I wouldn't put it in a darker spot. Or at least not a lot darker.
A lot of people unpot them when they are dormant, and repot them when
the new growths come out. I've never bothered with that... I've never
been particularly good at withholding water, either. I'd water them a
lot less, but if the pseudobulbs start to crinkle up I always give in
and give them a little drink. You should see flowers in a few months,
I'd guess. I think my pileatum blooms while leafless. That may be
variable in the species. I do know that mine always used to bloom back
into my tiered benches, into a wire mesh. So I'd never know it was in
spike until I snapped it off. I don't grow on those benches anymore....

I'd really recommend the Holst book on catasetums, if you are even
mildly interested in the genus. It is excellent.

Rob

"GrlIntrpted" wrote in message
.net...


I posted two photos of a Catasetum pileatum in ABPO under same subject


line.


As you can see, the leaves are yellowing. The second photo is of the
surface of the plant to show that the roots are looking well, and that the
bulbs are nice and on the plump side. My questions a

I- Is it this time of the year when the ctsm's start to shed leaves? if


so,


is this when I stop watering it completely?
II- It stayed pretty much in full sun all summer, and took it very well,


the


leaves were green up until Friday of last week. If I keep it in darker
conditions now, withold water until new growth appears, give it a drop of
about 10 to 15F at night, and about 74F during the day, from now until
spring
A: When can I approximately expect it to send out a spike?
B: Will it produce male flowers?

III- And if it's not that time of the year, then can someone clue me in as
to what's going on with this orchid?

Very thankful for any tips & assistance,
Mariana










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2) There is always room for two more orchids
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