Catasetums can be easily propagated using back bulbs. i usually take the opportunity to separate the back bulbs from a catasetum plant that had just break the dormancy period and just send out a new keiki.
Let the back bulbs rest on a bright but away from direct sunlight area, it might as long as 2-3 months before they send out new keiki so a lot of patience is needed for this. But some back bulbs may send out keiki as fast as about 2 weeks!
No watering during this period for they are prone to rotting due to bacterial or fungal infection. When new keiki appears from the back bulbs, i usually started re-poting at this stage with the keiki slightly above the potting media.
Resume watering once the keiki had send out roots about 1-2 inches in length (i found this method more suitable for my weather here though many other catasetum growers recommended watering only when roots are 4 inches in length). .
These pictures are from a back bulbs that i purchased during an orchid fair, the bulbs are shriveled but i still purchased it anyway because i do not have a Catasetum tenebrosum back then. After two months of waiting, the bulbs finally send out a keiki!
Below are three pictures, the first one is the shriveled tenebrosum back bulbs that i just mentioned, the second picture showing new keiki is emerging and the third picture showing further development of the new keiki.
As a rule of thumb, don't give up on the backbulbs, until they really dry out on you!!! as they said it, don't give up on your orchids for they don't give up on you.
