Orchid experiment: trying to grow the Catasetum types Fredclarkeara & Clowesetum!
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- Опубліковано 18 січ 2023
- This week Plant Lovers a roller coaster of a video covering twelve months in my attempt to grow some Catasetum type hybrids, Fredclarkeara & Clowesetum! (And I keep calling the Clowesetum a Clowesia so do forgive that!!) I bought four in a flurry of excitement, then decided after one season of successful growth to buy another WILDLY expensive one...! None have flowered and I nearly killed ALL of them last autumn by leaving them outside too late in the season with damp leaves as they were going into dormancy causing rot in all of the pseudobulbs! I lost one and the wildly expensive one is on life support.....so join me on the roller coaster and lets see if next year there's a better result! And if you grow any of these types in a climate similar to mine I'd love to know your tips! The orchids I cover in this video are: Clowesetum Penang Waltz
Fredclarkeara Midnight Lace
Fredclarkeara After Dark
Fredclarkeara After dark 'Bakers Black Hole'
I have an 'After Dark' - it did not bloom for me the first year of growing a nice new bulb, but I also learned the hard way that it is very very sensitive to getting 'wet' - even in the growth phase. First year some water got into the crown and younger leaves rotted and died. (just the very youngest newest leaves) More leaves grew but later in the summer and no blooms that year.
I've met Fred Clark a few times. He has been a guest speaker at our orchid society here in South Carolina and we will see him again in July. He did an amazing presentation on Catasetums, Mormodes and Cycnoches. Mr. Clark hails from sunny (or not so sunny these days) California where he grows these lovelies at Sunset Valley Orchids. I love these orchids, but haven't tried my hand at one. If anyone would know what you are doing right or wrong it's Fred Clark. It would be awesome if your orchid society could have him as a speaker. I looked at his 2023 schedule, he looks booked, but he does do Zoom meetings. I see on his schedule that he will be at the National Orchid Expo Show in Auckland, New Zealand, Sept 28-Oct 1st.
I repot mine straight after they go dormant and you stop watering. Add your fertiliser, trim roots etc just like you did but then just leave them. I always plant them in clear pots (actual honey buckets you buy from the supermarket). Just solder iron some drainage holes . This way you can see the roots of the new growth. I always wait until new roots are at the very least four inches, if not longer before watering. I hope this helps. Hervey Bay here.
Clowesias are so cute and compact. These types are so fun. It’s very interesting to see how they grow in different conditions. Good luck this year.
Thank you Matthew! I look forward to your entertaining and informative videos each week.
I've been growing Catasetum hybrids for 3 years, indoors in the sunniest windows (here in Montreal) and had similar experiences to you. Mine finally started to thrive and bloom when I upped the fertilizer (did not use slow release before) and changed the medium by removing all sphag and did a mix of medium bark, perlite and a lot of coco husk. I watered like crazy during the growth period and got 3 out of 5 plants to bloom (the other two I got as teeny tiny babies so still were a bit young perhaps?). However, I could not put them outside in the sun as most Catasetum leaves will "sweat" out excess moisture with sticky sweat beads which drive the yellow jacket wasps here CRAZY!!! But none have ever bloomed twice in a year. Cycnodes Wine Delight (devine cherry fragrance) bloomed last year and this year in November, the Monnierara Millennium Magic Witchcraft (licorice/black pepper fragrance) bloomed for first tie in June and Fredclarkeara Black Pearl for first time in August. That one was so huge I ended up putting rocks in bottom of pot to stop it from tipping over! It had two flower spikes but one aborted shortly after about an inch or so.
These can definitely take our winter temperatures if they’re completely dry and protected from frost. If you’re still having issues, once they enter dormancy you can just treat them like bulbs and store them bare rooted.
I know you have one video on jewel orchids; I would love some more information or updates on yours! I am so fascinated by their ornate little leaves.
After these are dormant place them in full sun in temperatures similar to your home. If the bulbs are large enough to bloom you will begin to see spikes in about 30 days. I had similar results to yours for years. Now the bulbs double in size every year. Also, you can split the bulbs after dormancy and all of the bulbs will put out new growths. I hope you get to see and smell their fabulous flowers this year. And thank you for your tips on bifrenaria. They have helped me tremendously!
Further to my previous post about my catasetum 10 months ago, it currently has one magnificent flower grown inside in Melbourne in a north facing window with Cattleyas and phalaenopsis 😊
Omg Mathew, I wish I could come over for a cup of tea to talk all things orchids. I listen to your videos weekly and it has helped me so much - even on days when I feel a bit dispirited. Thank you so much 🌸
Mathew I don’t know which one are lovelier, you or your orchids?! 😊 your video has such a wonderful positive vibes, wishing you and your partner and all your plants all the best 😊
I'm growing a Fredclarkeara for the first time as well. Got it in June with a relatively sizeable new growth and it's got a mature bulb now. I'm based in Scotland (UK), so it's the depth of winter at the moment and it still doesn't look like it's going dormant... Go figure! I have stopped watering it I think end of November or beginning of December, so we'll see what happens! Keep us updated on your progress :)
I hope you find this useful, anyway I really enjoy your channel ,keep on growing you will get it right
howdy! I know this is an older video, but wanted to tell you that we also have nearly the exact same experience as you. they grow so well with nice bulbs, but we haven't been able to get and to bloom in 3 years. we have a couple fdk after darks and some hybrids, and one species. hopefully this year we can get them to bloom, but several people have said we need to give them more light in the winter. so we got some lights and are gonna try it. we are in west central germany, btw...so similar (?) conditions. hope you have better luck! I think I remember you showing one in bloom at some point this year? thanks for all the great vidz!
Haven’t seen your more recent vids for a while, haven’t got the room or conditions for more but bought a tiny tiny catasetum, repotted it & its growing. Read you can grow indoors, not sure what will happen with mine, read no water in water yada yadda, fingers crossed til it gets bigger, is still alive and I’ll try following cultivation.
I’m experimenting with my first Catasetum orchid currently. I will have to let you know what I discover along the way. We do grow in much different environments so I’m sure the journey will be a touch different. I live in the tip of the American south. So the yearly average for humidity is 80%, which helps me maintain higher humidity indoors, but my temperatures don’t allow me to grow outside from October until May so now I strictly keep my collection inside (acclimatizing is just too much with so many plants haha) my grow space will reach 88-91F during the day and 68F during the night. So we shall see how it fairs amongst my other orchids and we will see if I have what it takes to grow them haha thanks as always for sharing!! Your videos always bring me such joy 😊
Hi, Matthew, orchids patio does not have good reviews online and quite a few of my orchids group members had very bad experience with them. I just start the Catasetum / Clowesia / Fredclarkeara lately and I got mine from Pacific Beach Orchids. Thanks for sharing.
Oh,I soooo love this orchid
I wish you luck, here in Brisbane they grow and flower, I have around 100. Keep dry in winter, feed and water when them in warmer weather.