Do I fertilize dendrobiums in bud?

[Mulchlady]

This may seem like a very basic question to more experienced growers, but I'm going to ask it anyway. I have a Yellow Song Canary which I purchsed last year that has a stem full of nice buds. I also have a Proud Appeal Ace that developed buds for the first time (yipee!) since purchsing it several years ago. although only one of the 8 or so stems of the Proud Appeal has buds, I'm happy that something is finally happening.

Here's the question, do I feed the dendrobiums now that they have buds? I stopped feeding in August and cut back on water. When I saw buds developing, I started watering again, but I don't know if I should also start feeding again.

And, is it comon that only one stem on the Proud Appeal has buds?

Thanks,
Mulchlady

[Ross]

I have no advice at all on your dendrobium, but ingeneral, with a steady diet of weak nitrogen, I water/fertilize with every watering. In flower or not. In spike or not. In bud or not. The only plants not getting regular diet of 125ppm nitrogen are Masdies and Dracs. The only Dendros I am now growing are either deciduous (anosmum) or high moisture minis (aberrans and some moniliforme dendrobiums.) The anosmum gets nothing (notta) for several months in winter until all the leaves are dropped. The ones in my orchidarium get a steady diet of food/water with every watering. Don't know if this helps at all, but I would say resume fertilizer. Wait for the experts, though.

[let_it_grow]

You can fertilize using a high phosphorous fertilizer but make sure you dont overdo it. It will help prolong the blooms

[Mulchlady]

Thank you Ross. I will give it a little fert. tomorrow. I usually feed at 1/4 tsp per gal 3 out of 4 waterings. Do you think that's ok?

[Ross]

Originally Posted by Mulchlady

Thank you Ross. I will give it a little fert. tomorrow. I usually feed at 1/4 tsp per gal 3 out of 4 waterings. Do you think that's ok?

I really recommend reading Ray's site (FirstRays) as he is a board member. There is a calculator that will answer all your questions Fertilizer PPM Calculator Just plug in the percent of your fertilizer and you can figure what mix to use.

[tbentl]

I have a Yellow Song 'Canary' that is a nobile dendrobium. You may want to take a look at this link also:

General Care

[Mulchlady]

Tim, my compter has bocked me from opening that site but I'm very interested to hear how you care for your Yellow Song 'Canary'.
Do you give it a rest during the fall?
What fert. do you use and what is your application?
Do you water at normal rate when in bud?

[tbentl]

Mulchlady – I received nine nobile dendrobiums from Yamamoto Dendrobiums (Yamamoto Dendrobiums Hawaii) in July and August this year (this is the first time I’ve had nobiles in years). I haven’t fertilized them at all. Temps were hot, so I watered almost every day and they got full sun (still do). Beginning last month, temps have decreased, so I backed off watering them, from daily to weekly. I leave them outside with my cymbidiums – the only time they get moved in is when the temp is below 35°. This month they were rained on, and I’ll be watering once a month until they begin new growth next year. I haven’t made up my mind on which fertilizer I’ll be using. The link in my earlier post was the care section on Yamamoto’s web site; here is what Yamamoto recommends as to fertilizer:

“Fertilizing - Low-nitrogen fertilizer should be used for flowering plants. Be sure to stop fertilizing after early August if you wish to have many flowers. For small plants grown without supplemental heat and where night temperatures fall below 46 F (8 C) in winter, apply fertilizer high in nitrogen when night temperatures rise to about 50 F (10 C), probably in March or April. If night temperatures in winter are higher than 50 F (10 C), then fertilize from January. The easiest way to fertilize small plants is by using slow-release fertilizers that are effective for more than half a year. Fertilization for blooming size plants should not be time-release type as it may cause over fertilization.”


Right now about seven of them are beginning to form buds. One bloomed in October.


Hope this helps!

[Mulchlady]

Yes, your information helps a great deal. It's great to hear from someone with the same plant. I will go directly to Yamamoto's site and read a little more. What's also helpful is to know that Proud Appeal is a nobile and that I should follow standard nobile care for it. I think I heard from some source that it was somewhat different in that it did not require cool temps and no fert in order to flower. I'm glad you cleared that up for me. Thanks again.

[Donald]

Very informative "General Care" article that was recommended by member tbentyl.