Question
QUESTION: Hi I have a cataleya that I've been trying to grow for 5 months now and It was growing new leaves really well until I had to go out of the country a week ago.  SO I watered it a little bit before it's regular watering time approximately 3 days after the previous watering day and I came back and most of its leaves fell out.  I don't know what to do...I think its dying but I don't want it to.  Can you tell me what to do so I can keep my beauty alive?  Thank you!




ANSWER: Ebru, I suspect that it was not the amount of water that damaged your plant, nor the frequency of watering.  This condition is likely the result of water getting into the fold or base of the new leaves and standing there long enough to cause basal leaf rot.  The leaves fall out when their point of attachment develops a fungal or bacterial rot. If my sense of this is correct, to save the plant, you will need to carefully cut away any portion that shows a brown rot.  Sometimes these rots are self-limiting and the plant seals the wound below the infection and all you have lost is the new growth.  I recommend that you greatly restrict watering at this time as increased humidity can promote the spread of a fungal or bacterial parasite. If you have additional rot, you will need to cut through the infected tissue until you see healthy green tissue.  Seal the wound with sulphur or a powder fungicide such as roottone.  At the base of each pseudobulb are growth eyes covered by a sheath.  These will be the sites from which new growth will come and are the backups when events such as yours occur.  So, the focus now, is to preserve and protect the other pseudobulbs so this plant can produce new growth.

In the future, when you water, try to avoid getting water or healthy new tissue, water early in the day, and try to run a small fan after watering to dry off any excess water before nightfall.

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QUESTION: All the leaves fell out now even though I cut out all the unhealthy ones and well there is nothing left other than a few brown roots, is it a complete loss now.  This makes me sad it was near blooming too :(

Answer
Ebru, in your comments, you did not mention the pseudobulbs. All cattleyas have these and they contain the growth eyes.  If all of the pseudobulbs are dead as well, then there is no hope for this plant.  If it does not have pseudobulbs, then it is likely not a cattleya.