Den nobile with short stumpy new canes

[Pippa]

I have a Den Spring Dream Apollo which I am hoping to rebloom. Last year I moved house and it was housed in the wrong conditions for several months, so I wasn't surprised when it didn't do anything. This year, I have been able to look after it myself. It started off producing three new canes which got to about 3 inches before they were eaten (I found the sluggy culprit lurking in the compost!) Now it has produced seven new 'canes', but they grow for between 1 and 3 inches and then swell out and stop growing taller.

It has sun apart from at midday and is kept moist, not wet. I have been feeding it weekly with a weak solution of Orchid Focus Grow. What am I doing wrong? I've just been given a gorgeous new Den nobile (Vanilla Pommery - beautiful pale yellow) and I really don't want this one to end up the same as my lovely Spring Dream.

[Pippa]

Anyone?!!! Please help!

[rbarata]

Give it plenty of water while growing but let it get slightly dry. Stop giving fertilizer by the end of august and during winter give it much less water (every 1 and a half wk or every two wks) together with temps around 12C.

[Ray]

I am not a dendrobium grower, but in general, short growths suggest something is amiss with the culture - too much light, a poor root system that cannot take up water no matter how much is applied, etc.

When did you last repot it?

[rbarata]

Mine, for two "normal" pbulbs, always has at least 4 short ones.
I wouldn't worry about it. Just follow the recomendations above.

[Pippa]

@Ray, it was repotted in April - I put it back in the same pot, I just wanted to replace the growing media to get rid of the slugs! The root system is looking really healthy and the topgrowth is a good colour, just too short!

@rbarata I only have stubby growths, no long ones. The two long ones I had were so badly slug-damaged I had to cut them off - one was munched through at the base. Do you think the plant has lost too much growth to produce long canes this year and may do better next year? The original three new growths looked like they might have gone on to produce long canes if it hadn't been for the slug (it was a HUGE thing, stripey brown & black - probably got so fat eating MY orchid!)

[rbarata]

If the long canes were munched at the base, then you arenot allowing it to get dry or your medium is too water retentive. If you're using moss, get rid of it. In your climate Dens don't need moss.