Dendrobium Hekouense - Confused on behavior and leaves

[judyzhusf]

Hi all, I received a hekouense a week ago and have mounted it with some moss under some moderate light. I water it once the moss has dried which is every two days.

The leaves have brown dry spots, and some leaves are turning yellow on the new growth and falling off. Is this plant just doing it's desiduous thing or is there something Im doing wrong?

My house is very cold so it may be a shock for it coming from hausermanns green house. At 8 am PST it is about 59 F degrees. Humidity in my house is always high around 70% and they are under growlights at the same height I keep my dendrobium monoliforme at so I know its not too little or too much since that plant has been fine.

The masdies behind do not indicate the light level since the grow tube is right above the dendrobiums, the masdevallias are pushed back in teh shadier part of the shelf*

Thanks all

[Roberta]

I think just be patient. 59 deg F is not cold to these little guys. It may drop leaves (a few or even all) in the winter. Then it grows new ones, blooms mostly in the fall.

Just for the record... I grow these ( have 2 plants) on mounts with little moss (so they do dry out)., outside so they get cold - 40 deg F is not uncommon, occasionally gets cooler. Quite shady. (That's the area where it gets its dailiy watering, it seems OK with the little light that it gets)

[judyzhusf]

Thanks Roberta, I guess I will wait. The spotting concerned me because I thought it was sunburn (I am going to be sure to keep any drops of water off those leaves)

[judyzhusf]

Well... turns out it was spider mites. I saw a red one crawling around!