What to do with a seasonally confused Orchid

[Kaykay]

I have a number of confused Orchids. They seem to have wintered already and come out of dormancy. I think this might have been to do with my central heating (which isn't too hot, but still a factor!) I grow in my appartment with carefully selected places for each orchid- so lack the luxury of an allocated place to keep them.
My general approach so far has been just to watch and respond to the plant, but I'm concerned this might mean that they don't get enough rest. The particularly confused ones are a Brassia Chieftain seedling (verrucosa x longissima) and Den nobile which are both shooting out new growths and roots with great enthusiasm. I'm careful about position as regards heat and light. s

I just wanted to know what your approaches are with the same situation. Listen to the Orchids, or treat them like naughty toddlers who have decided that 3am on Christmas day is a reasonable waking hour!!!! And, would there really be a problem with blooming for the Den next year if I just go with the flow? (Brassia is prob. a year or so off blooming size)

thanks for your wisdom!
Kay

[camille1585]

Orchids that don't need a winter rest (like your Brassia) will keep growing throughout the year, although they wmay slow down a bit at this time of year. They need the same care year round, other than a reduction in watering in the winter because it's not so warm. As for the Den nobile, did you put it in a cool bright spot and strongly reduce watering? Nobiles need a cool dry winter rest to initiate spikes. Most people seem to rest them from about mid-late october until late february, or earlier if they show spikes before. I don't have any of these Dens, but I would think that if there is new growth now, you may have to continue watering so they don't die.

[Donald]

My den nobile spent until the first week of November outside and since bringing it in for the winter and not watering it like I usually do it has started sending out new growth and healthy roots something that it doesn't usually do untill February or March so I'm watering it. Sounds like a bit of water might not be a bad idea for you den. Happy growing.

[Sammy]

Wow you guys in America are lucky, if we, over here in cold Europe, put our plants outdoors they would freeze straight away!

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Sammy

Wow you guys in America are lucky, if we, over here in cold Europe, put our plants outdoors they would freeze straight away!

Weird, because it's nowhere near freezing in the Netherlands this year! You have cold weather? Had a sunny 18°C today and nights only went below freezing twice in october, and that's it. In France it still hasn't frozen, and we still have plants outside there!

[RosieC]

As for UK temps, I have a Masdi in a covered tray outside and I'm carefully monitoring it's temps. It's getting arround 6C to 14C day to night.

I'm watching it carefully to avoid it getting frosted but nothing yet.

[greenmom]

Originally Posted by RosieC

As for UK temps, I have a Masdi in a covered tray outside and I'm carefully monitoring it's temps. It's getting arround 6C to 14C day to night.

I'm watching it carefully to avoid it getting frosted but nothing yet.

We have the same temps in Canada,

Was 9C yesterday and will be 10C tomorrow, we usually have snow by now, it has been very mild.......

But I am keeping the orchids inside

[stefpix]

In Brooklyn NY it is still warm can be 13 to 17 C in the daytime, nights probably around 8 C..

I have outside Den nobile, Den loddigesii, Den Hamana Smile [ kingianum etc]

[Sammy]

Oops! I didnt literally mean they would freeze - sorry! Just meant that its getting pretty cold here and being a novice i would assume that plants wouldnt like to be moved from inside to outside and back again.

What do you recon RosieC?

[Sammy]

Let me clarify again, inside in winter, outside in summer.