Well, I've taken some of *my* cattleya plants right down to a few
pseudobulbs from very large plants, mostly due to lack of roots, odd growth
patterns (like pseudobulbs growing down instead of up) and just plain old
wanting a smaller plant. So don't necessarily think you are doing wrong.

Just be sure you are saving 3-4 pseudobulbs for each new growth. These back
bulbs provide stored food to support thre new growth, even if they don't
have any roots. If they are wobbly in the pot you can lace a BBQ bamboo
skewer across the rhizome to pinch it down onto the medium for stability.
Method: take a hot nail, poke 2 holes in the side of the plastic pot low
enough such that when the skewer is threaded through them it will have to go
up and over the cattleya's rhizome. Lace the skewer through 1 hole, across
the plant to the hole on the opposite side, trapping the rhizome beneath it.
Note: most people use a torch to sterilize their cutting instruments between
plants so as not to spread viruses amongst plants., that's how to heat up a
nail.

In terms of scale there are many ways. As long as you are going over each
plant and repottingit, you can use rubbing alcohol to wipe off any scale you
encounter. I will use a spray called Rose Pride , not for its acive
ingredient, but because its propellant is an ultrafine oil that smothers
scale and other bugs. After squishing scale (sometimes using anld
toothbrush to scrub off the leaves and bulbs), and wiping the leaves clean
with alcohol, I'll spray with the Rose Pride, and that's it. I'll inspect
each week to see if any return, then I have to bring out big guns. But
usually the alcohol and spray work well.

Don't feel bad about dissecting the orchids. They aren't like other plants
where you have to be careful of delicate root hairs. Orchids roots are
sturdier, have no root hairs (paphs do, but htat's a differnt story) and
can take some abuse. Just cut away the mushy ones, put the plant in new
medium make sure it doesn't wobble in the pot and you are off and running.

K Barrett

"madddogg" wrote in message
...

Hello, I recently aquired a large collection of many different types of
orchids that were in a nice atrium doing wonderfully at one point.
Then they weathered hurricane Charley last year & the atrium came down
on them. They were salvaged & piled under a tree for almost a year
un-tended to. They were given to me (all 90 of them) in June & I don't
know where to start. Most are doing well. Lots of them are still
blooming. All of them have leaf damage & most have scale. The ones I
am having the most problems with are what I believe come from the
cattleya family. Only a few have tags, but they are of the BL & BLC
variety.

Here's my question... I've noticed a few in need of repotting for a
bit of rot & overcrowding. Inside they are a tangled mess of roots
and I feel like I am dissecting them. When I start there is a lot of
growth & pseudobulbs. By the time I am finished I've got barely any
roots left & a tiny plant or two with all this wasted greenage. Am I
doing something wrong??? And how do I rid 90+ plants of scale?? How
do BL & BLC like to live??(light,water,etc.) How can I tell which
leaves were damaged by the storm & which have issues I need to tend
to??

I'm grateful for this collection that was so generously given to me but
I feel like I am in way over my head. Any assistance is welcome!

Thanks a bunch.
Melissa, from W. Central Florida


--
madddogg