Here in Normandy, France, the weather is getting cooler, and I have three phals with new flower spikes just coming thro, and a Ryncosophrocattleya which is preparing to burst into flower. I don't understand too much about the need to leave my orchids to rest over winter, but they seem to be ok for the moment! I have two cyms thay flowered last year, but they don't seem to want to this year. They may have had too much water this year.:scratchhead:

Which orchids in your collection get a winter rest?
 

Just to throw a little monkey wrench into the mix here: My local grower, who has many Dends., doesn't give any of them a winter rest. I'm thinking about an experiment this year of not watering the ones that have lost their leaves spontaneously and continuing to water the ones that have kept their leaves regardless of variety.
One thing about watering keikis. What happens in the wild? Neither the mature plants nor the keikis get water under natural conditions. Why should the keikis get watered in your GH? :scratchhead:
Beverly A.

I give my older Phal NoID a winter rest each year. I keep my Phals (just 2!) in my office.

My typical routine is--
Move it to a north-facing window about a month after the last blooms fall off. Cut down on watering and very little misting (or mist instead of watering). At the first sign of change--whether leaf growth or spike--I fertilize just a little and continue to water like normal but even less. After a month I expect to see flower spikes...once the plant grows buds on the spikes, I move the plant back to my desk and it blooms there.

I have a Paph. maudiae hybrid given to me as a gift several years ago. It has never rebloomed. It seems very happy in a bright north facing window, with attractive mottling and lots of new shoots. Last night, a friend told me about the need for a cool period to set buds that many orchids have, something I'd never known (I am a real beginner!!)

I have a vestibule on the same side of the house (same light) that is significantly cooler than where I've been keeping the plant (low 50s at night and low 60s during the day.)

My questions:1) Does this plant need a cool period (from what I've read, it would appear that it does.) 2) will this room be cool enough? 3) Today is January 30th, is it too late to move it to the cooler location?

Any advice would be appreciated!!

Frank

My Maudiae rebloomed without a major drop. I didn't consciously give it a cool period, but weather changes affected the inside of the house because I don't heat the house all day. The difference can't have been much so an area you notice as cooler yourself will probably do.

The cool period probably needs to be timed with a mature fan that can flower. It won't do any good if there are no new unflowered fans of sufficient maturaty. I don't think it matters when it happens apart from that, mine was a cool spell in the spring that triggered a spike over the summer.

My maudiae type has produced a new flower on a the next fan just as the first of this year failed. I have mine in an East facing window. You might want to move yours to somewhere it gets some direct light in the early or late part of the day. Low 50's should be fine, mine gets that at night. Other things to consider are humidity and feeding.

I have had dendrobium loddigesii for some years now, but have found it difficult to bloom. In fact, the only time it bloomed was when I put it on a bright windowsill in a cool garage. Last fall I tried leaving it out in the little unheated green house, but we got a cold snap that killed all but a small bit. Any suggestions on blooming this? I gave to a dry, humid rest.

My maudiae hybrid flowered in orctober here, right after halloween which is about on schedule with cooler weather and nights hitting high 40's in the unheated kitchen. When I grew them in florida, they liked temps in the 40s and even high 30's. They are more highland type orchids which normally get very humid, cool night time weather and low clouds that roll over the mountains and hills they grow on. So the cool night humidity and then drying during the 50's -60's daytime seems to trigger blooming although they are odd and can bloom at any time, not just fall. Predominantly they grow in similar conditions to pinguicula moranensis and Those are the conditions I give them no matter the time of year. The plants do seem to like growing in sphagnum moss and or peat and love to sink roots into the moist peat if you can give them that.

As far as the dendrobiums go, they seem to need bone dry conditions when they rest, and even that may not get blooms. I have let mine dry and they have had NO water for months and they seem to like the abuse. I got some nice flowers from mine this year, not many, but some and I had not watered but ever week or 2 with a light spray and they hardly even shriveled. The anosmum even like extremely dry conditions until they are ready to bloom. I do not understand those plants, but I will keep many as they intrigue me. I would say, abuse your plant by not watering and keep it cooler with temps at night from 40F- 50F and see if that works. This late in the game may not do any good, but you can try. I would also try decreasing light if you can and see if that helps it along. Very bright light helps tremendously also, so try direct morning light and decrease light and withhold water until canes start to shrivel and even then I would skimp on water and just mist canes lightly- no water to the roots. That may help and if you can't give those conditions, then wait until next fall. Direct sun seems to be the major key as even leafless canes or bulbs, or stems do lots of photosynthesis.

Thanks. The man I bought it from told me to put it in a terrarium type enviroment, right up against a cold window in bright light, and provide only humidity during the winter, no water. It's a stuborn little bugger! At least it doesn't take much space.

They do stay compact, and even specimen sized plants are smaller and more compact growing. The person you got it from sounds like they gave good advice and I told you how mistreating my plants worked, but you will find what works for you. It may be easier at this point to just let it come into growth and start feeding at every other watering or something. I feed mine all spring and summer and give the occasional pot flushing with some sink water. They do have lots of energy during growth and then flowering lasts for a few months. Maybe try blooming it after the winter season this coming fall and try not watering at all and see how that works.

Hi folks, I haven't found cessation of watering to be terribly important in blooming this type of dendrobium, at least not in my climate. I have a fairly cool room (winter nights between mid-60s and mid-50s F) that also has one of the brightest windows in my house, and I get great blooms from a number of species and hybrids even with watering all winter long. Of course, one of 3 my loddigesii plants hasn't gotten below 65 F this winter and it's budding out first of them so go figure...

I do reduce watering somewhat simply because temps are cooler and without as many leaves the plants don't need much moisture. I definitely don't let the pseudobulbs shrivel at all, though.

These links are a good general primer on culture of this group:
General Care
Hints
The information applies most to complex hybrids involving nobile, but I've found it works just about as well for the species of this section I grow. The main difference with some of the species is that they may need more or less time at the cooler temps. I find that 2 months or less of night temps in the low 60s-upper 50s F, followed by a warm-up period of a few weeks in the mid 60s, is usually sufficient to induce good bloomings. Watering is usually 1-2x/week depending on light levels during the cool period, increasing to 3-4x/week once I warm them up. YMMV, of course! :)

--Nat

I'm going to give that a try next season, because the other way just hasn't been working. Unfortunately, I only have a sprig of a plant to work with now, since I froze it last fall!

Camille, I am surprised that you give Den kingianum a rest, but then maybe your climate is colder than mine (Melbourne, Aust), where we only get an occasional frost. I hang mine up, use a free draining mix, and water nearly every day, and it thrives. In its natural habitat though, it can tolerate extended dry periods, but you are the first one I have heard of to give it a rest period

In Summer Time.
 

the ten phal´s i have rest in summer time,because in winter they are with an AGA that always keep the temperature constant at 24 degrees,so when we turn off the AGA is in summer time the temperature is lower,more or less 20during the day and 18 at night and then the phals rest :lol::biggrin:

This was a very HELPFUL article, thanks for posting it, I think I only have one that needs a rest.

Ok, I have a question, I have a cane-like Dendrobium and the tag says "Den. Spring Doll "sweetheart" Hcc/Ads".......that's all it says, need a rest?

Hi denvervet, Dendrobium Spring Doll is a hybrid involving species like moniliforme and nobile, so it is in the group generally said to need a rest. I've found this type of hybrid to be very tolerant and easy to bloom without an extreme seasonal variation, some of them will start pushing buds after just a few weeks of nights below 60 F. Should be easy to grow if kept warm and wet while actively growing with a cool and drier (not bone-dry) period of 1-3 months after growths mature. Hope this helps!

--Nat

den. spring doll
 

Thanks a lot Nat. I had it where it was getting morning sun but recently moved it to very bright light under a skylight, I don't think it liked the hot summer sun it was getting. The leaves seem to be very light green, but its got flower spikes!

dendrobium aggregatum aka lendeyi var majus and my dendrobium aggregatum var jikinsii and also dendrobium kingianum. most spiecies dendrobium by what i here require a winter rest. i would like if some one could post there method for winter rest as there is much controversy on what "rest" means. do you with hold all water or just sum or do u just with hold fertilizer

No fertilizer. When you begin to see quite a bit of shriveling, mist or water lightly. Never soak heavily. When vegetative growth become inactive, your plant will get through the winter with very infrequent watering. If, for example, you water once per week in the warmer months, you may be able to cut back to a light watering or misting once every three weeks. Once a plant is dormant and given lower temps, even with a lot of watering, it will not wake until spring and at that time you can resume regular culture. Your winter rest is over.

Everything I have, other than Vandaceous and phals.
Anything with a bulb gets what nature throws at it.

HI folks, I did not see my Den. on the list but I am still wondering if I should rest it. I have a Den. Spring Doll 'Sweetheart' HCC/ADS can like den. Can anyone help me?

For some reason my post didn't take, I will post it again. Its probably my terrible computer! I am still not sure if Den Spring Doll 'Sweetheart" HCC/ADS needs a winter rest....My Den. Aggregatum var. majus 'Fields' grew extremely well this year and I have been resting it since halloween. Its pseudobulbs are already shriveling, I live in Denver and its very dry here so I watered it just a little today, should I? You guys are great in answering questions, thank you so much!

Your plant appears to have at least one parent that is a nobile type so I would stop fertilizer and reduce water until buds begin to appear then you can gradually increase water but hold fertilizer until flowering is complete.

Ok, thanks for the advice.

Anything in Central America gets a pretty serious rest.
3 months or so at altitudes above 1500 feet and below 4000 feet.That's the time when they flower.Same with flowering trees.

Hi guys was reading through some of these posts, some much useful info. but to be on the safe side ill go ahead n ask since i'm new to orchids and don't know that much. My collections made of mostly phals, an oncidium, and a cymbidium. So I take it that they will need a winter rest? does that mean no water at all and no fertilizer all winter ???
Thanks!

I have had bad luck with the ones that need a winter rest so I mostly avoid them. I have a Dendrobium nobile hybrid that a grower told me doesn't need a rest. I couldn't get it back in to bloom until I gave it one. Now it's blooming.
I had Dendrobium Loddigesii that I struggled with for years. The only time it bloomed is on a garage windowsill where it got good and cold but had bright sun.
I also had Barkeria . I forget which one. No bloom.

I have a Den. Superbum that I believe needs winter rest.

Yes, superbum does need a rest.

I'm not quite sure what rest means though. I know it means no water, but what about light?

Put it on a bright, cool window sill and give it only enough water to keep it from shriveling. The late winter sunshine helps stimulate it in to bloom. When you see any growth, water it again and begin to feed.

Cool. Thanks for the advice!

You are welcome. The dendrobiums do bloom for quite a while, so I guess they are worth the extra care

Thank you for sharing your lists.

I recently got 2 orchids and I have learned that they are probably Dendrobiums, until now NoID. They have some pleated leaves due to a lack of water. Should I give them a winter rest and less water now? Or would it be better to let them recover first and maybe skip the winter rest?

It depends on what kind of dendrobium they are. The phalaenopsis type of dendrobium don't need a rest.
I've never had a den get pleated leaves but oncidium do quite easily.

Unfortunately I'm not sure which kind it is yet. I don't think it's a phalaenopsis type. At the moment, the plants are not in bloom, so it's difficult to tell...

I have the same problem with one of mine. A friend bought it at an orchid show because it was less expensive then the others. It was not only in lousy shape, but she neglected to ask what kind it is or how to care for it. I told her that I am pretty sure it needs a rest and she has no place to give it one. It's mine now, but I am still not positive it is a nobile. It looks different then the one I have. I don't expect bloom this year from it.

New Schedule New unit BIGTIME WORRIES
 

I'm having a horrible time figuring out the watering/ wintering requirements of my gaggle of orchids. The species vary greatly which has never been an issue. Moving them inside before a low in the 30's seems to have done some mincing...

All of my mounted orchids where growing like wildfire.. ROOTS everywhere.. to the point of being annoying. :bowing

Now INDOORS with the new air-handler and a shift over from AC to heating.... the humidity at home has plummeted. I keep them all localized so that the micro-climate has a degree of humidity but the worrying part is how these roots look.:_(

The fleshy green jade and wonderful-ness has SIGNIFICANTLY slowed if not stopped. I find I am in a panic constantly checking back to see if I should spritz them with a mist of water. Worried about wrinkles on leaves and in psuedo bulbs that I have JUST dragged back from the prune looking abyss.

Moisture trays abound but with the light intermittent at best and skies overcast to the point of dusk all day at it's worst!
I'm thinking Global warming is going to be the death of my nerves.(yes I refuse florescent bulbs! Burning fossil fuels that screw up orchids and habitat to make sun that comes naturally is inherently wrong)

Anyone have any experience in shifting humidity and temperatures due to new fangled household climate control?

Anyone have a suggested heating schedule that may help with this? I can dial it in to the degree for the time periods across the day. I wonder should I stress about heats relation to solar footprint or is this overdoing it?:(

Should we also account for heating and the offset of solar energy when wintering our chids in our homes? Can there be some magic formula for this? Does anyone know it?