A few days ago as I was looking at the plants, an activity I frequently employ when I am trying to avoid actual work, I noticed one of my most prized divisions looked sick. It is a cutting of C. rex, a plant I had wanted for some time before I broke down and bought this cutting. The oldest psuedobulb of the three had signs of black rot, a problem I have not had before.
I spoke with the grower who I got it from and he advised I cut the sick part ASAP, so I did. When I pulled it from the pot the roots looked very healthy.
I then looked up the treatment in A.E Chadwick’s book The Classic Cattleya’s, and he advised hydrogen peroxide, so I did that as well. Then to top it all off I put some fungicide on it. I figure all that attention will either save it soundly or kill it quickly. As of now I have not potted it back up. It is bare root and I thought of keeping it this way or in a pot of rocks until it starts to make new roots, but I have no justification as to why. Seem that this plant got too cold and wet, as that is most frequently cited reason for its cause. Not sure if the sphagnum played a role in all this, but either way I am likely too chicken to put it back in it. I am really pulling for this plant, I hope it pulls through.
If the cut shows no sign of the rot you are ok. You have live root, plenty for the two-pseudobulb division. I suggest you pot it as normal, not grow it in rock temporarily.
ReplyDeleteI grow in rock, but that is my normal medium in my wet greenhouse. It is not a temporary arrangement.