"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...
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.

The p/b's a very firm, the roots are out of control (root growth upon root
growth all over the surface, it looks like white grass on the surface). The
leaves are showing yellow streaks and some brown/dry marks on the outer
ridges.


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'm hoping to get some male flowers, aren't they showier?


I wouldn't put it in a darker spot. Or at least not a lot darker.

It spent the summer in the outdoors (well the spring too), I'm thinking of
moving it indoors and to let it sit on the Western exposure side, in the pot
as is, and if it shrivles up I guess i'll mist it, but it's fairly dry at
home, and around 74F, at night we drop it to around 68F. Can it still stay
outside?

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

Your response is greatly appreciated Rob, thank you.

Mariana