It looks like our cattleya is trying to die. It stays wet and is in a clay pot under a shade cloth in the greenhouse. I was thinking I should repot it in a 4" plastic pot with a lot of holes... Any suggestions would be helpful

Your orchid media looks to have had it. It is turning more into soil than bark. You are probably slowly drowning the Catt. That's where you start.....replace the media with a good orchid mix. I am not sure you can get that plant/roots into a 4" pot. You might need a 5". But after trimming all the dead tissue away, a 4" pot may be fine. I started using pretty much mesh-pots with all my orchids and seem to have good results. It certainly allows that media and roots to get more air than any other pot that I know of. Trim away all the dead roots before you repot. You may not find many viable roots but protect those as much as possible. That new pseudobulb may have a root or two attached, so look for that. You can also trim away any/all dead pseudobulbs. You might get some new growth from that/those cut areas. Sprinkle cinnamon on any cut area. It is a good, natural fungicide/bactericide.

Keep in mind, the vast majority of orchids need to dry out between watering, and Catt. are no exception to that rule. I don't know that the orchid is salvageable. I wish you luck, Heath.

Heh, there is a new growth!! Where there is a new growth, there is life!!
I would follow Ken's advice and clean the plant up.
Under my conditions here, I would probably plop it bare root into a claypot and anchor it with just a bit of fresh bark. This way there would be less chance of overwatering it in my hands....

Heath, I should have asked, are you growing this orchid in the house or is it outside?

Lose that ceramic pot and follow Ken's repotting advise. Also, throw some styrofoam packing peanuts in the bottom of the new clay orchid pot.

Jim

It's growing in a greenhouse. At a place of business and there are about 6 other people working there that don't care much for plants and when times are slow the boss has them to go water and when thay water they water everything heavily. I've put signs in the pots that say do not water and when i come into work that evening everthing is wet as can be. Anyway back to the orchid I'll do what you guys say I'll trim the dead back put in some fresh bark and a new pot and hopefully it will come back.

Check for snails. It looks like they have eaten most of the eyes on the old Pbulbs.

I would put it in a clay azalea pot (with side holes) in lava rock. If they are heavy waterers, the water will just run through and evaporate fast. You could throw some charcoal and peanuts in too. Big chunky pieces. You can get bags of red lava rock at Home Depot for cheap. Wash it though.

We are chronic overwaterers and that is what we do.

Example here.
http://s6.photobucket.com/user...

http://www.browardorchidsupply...
http://www.browardorchidsupply...

Also, because of the overwatering the plant is exhibiting signs of Fusarian wilt or Rhizoctonia which is common in this situation. After drying out and good air movement, a good spray of Cleary's will help.

This link will help.
http://www.phelpsfarm.com/Orch...

I will check for snails although I haven't seen any just from looking at it. I usually have a sharp eye for all those pesky little insects

@shadytrake thanks for the link I just downloaded it to my phone so I will have it to read later.

Make sure you really secure it in the new pot. You don't want any bumping of the tips of new roots. It is so stressed that any new root growth will be needed. If it wiggles, the root tips become damaged and cannot recover for it to take up nutrients.

Pot clips would help if you have them.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zR22...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

I had one like this. Shriveled, mushy, snail eaten, etc. I got rid of all the nasty old roots, tied some jute twine to it and hung it up in a tree close to the trunk for shade at the beginning of this summer. Roots naked and exposed. It has new growth now and is attaching itself to the tree.

@karnatree thanks I might give that a try that way its out of the greenhouse and away from everyone.

Just be aware that your zone is a bit colder than Kate's, it won't survive outside in Winter.

Heath, Sevierville is way too cold in the winter for that Catt to be outside on a tree. If you want to hang it outside under a tree for the summer that would work. But take it inside when the temps drop into mid 50s at night. We don't let our Catts go lower than 55F in the Greenhouse in the winter.

Good luck!

I agree completely with Ursula and Melissa, Heath. None of us live in a sub-tropical climate and thus have to move all our tropical plants inside for the fall and winter months. I typically begin moving my plants inside mid-October (most cold-sensitive plants) and will continue to do so into November, depending on the nights' lows. By mid-November, all my plants will be inside. I too keep my greenhouses above 55F.

Ya.... I bring all my plants inside in the fall. My house looks like a jungle by November

Ahhh, a kindred spirit!

I know what you mean, Heath. I have two (permanent) greenhouses, a temporary (fall/winter) greenhouse, and an enclosed porch (soon to become a 600 sf. sunroom, and I still don't have enough space.

I'm probably going to have to bring some of my plants to the greenhouse I work at. Witch I don't like doing we start running out of room in late February with our vegetables and annuals. As soon as I figure out a way to heat a greenhouse for cheap I'm going to get one.