Help me make my dendrobium bloom - Orchid Board

let_it_grow · #1 11-20-2008, 11:52 PM

I have 3 dendrobiums in a pot together, all 3 of them were crammed in a pot with dirt and a massive cactus on the back deck at my moms house. So i offered to save them, nabbed them up, put them in a pot, changed the medium to a firbark/coconut husk mix and sat them on my window sill with some supplemental lighting to let them heal. Well it seems to have done the trick. The new shoots are freakin MASSIVE (i'm absolutely amazed, the shoots are twice the height and girth of all of the old growth), there are tons of new healthy roots but now i want them to bloom. They have not bloomed since the day they were purchased (like 4 years ago) Will they bloom when they are good and ready? Should i be feeding them a high phosphorous fertilizer? I have been feeding them a 20-10-20 until now but dont know if i should be encouraging them to bloom or just let them do their thing. I live In Ontario Canada and they are inside so all conditions are controlled.

karren · #2 11-21-2008, 12:43 AM

My rule of thumb is- if an orchid doesn't bloom for any discerable reason-- give it more light! slowly increase the light until you see buds. Don't forget that outside, even on an overcast day, is 1000 times brighter than indoors. Many people supplment window light when they grow indoors.

frostedeyes · #3 11-21-2008, 01:00 AM

I'm happy with Peter's 20-20-20 and it has bloom every matured growth. I would recommend posting your orchid plants, So far light is the major factor when it comes to orchid blooms the second is fertilizer. Try using a 20-20-20 then give them light 4 hours of morning sun is good!

Tsuchibuta · #4 11-21-2008, 11:19 AM

do you know what kind of dendrobium they are because some have set bloom cycles or need a dry rest/ cold period to bloom properly.

Donald · #5 11-21-2008, 01:32 PM

Read this. It should help and go to the Dendrobium forum where you will find a culture sheet.

Donald
Worcester, MA

let_it_grow · #6 11-21-2008, 08:48 PM

A lot of my plants come from the back shelf of a flower shop, a shifty little convenience store or from other peoples houses where they get set aside after they bloom with little care for the plant itself. I have many "mystery plants" as i call them, my place feel like a plant humane society. I was looking at pictures online cause i kinda remember what they look like i think 1 is Thongchai Gold another is Sonia but I cant remember what the 3rd one looked like

let_it_grow · #7 11-21-2008, 08:53 PM

Regarding the light situation, I live in Canada so we have short days this time of year and have a North facing apartment so the majority of the light is from full spectrum bulbs and incandescent bulbs. My only option for more light is more lamps which i can certainly do

frostedeyes · #8 11-21-2008, 10:20 PM

a good indication that your plant is receiving enough light is that it should get reddish hue on its leaves and canes.

let_it_grow · #9 11-22-2008, 01:09 PM

One of them has reddish leaves and stem and the new growth starts with the reddish colour on the outer edge of the leaves and slowly kinda streaks on the leaves as they mature. The other 2 have no red at all, they are both a rich (not dark) glossy green. Is it possible that one is getting enough light and the other 2 are not even though they share the same conditions? Will all dendros go red?

frostedeyes · #10 11-22-2008, 09:03 PM

some dendros would get a reddish tinge. some just turned into light green. I have a BC gosh! its almost yellow red, sun here in my country is really terrible. must be the climate change! im planning to put some screens to give some shade. Is young dendros in blooming size? please post some pics. We might give u a proper diagnose. Well its a good sign that your dendros are getting enough sun just keep them healthy. Patience patience patience.