Does my den need repotting?

[Call_Me_Bob]

Does my noid den need repotted? i just got it. it has a bunch of new bloom spike so i wouldnt repot till its done. is it a dendrobium phalaenopsis? can anyone tell me how to takje care of it? and how much it likes to be watered? thanks alto


ps. its only in the clay pot, because it is very top heavy

[Call_Me_Bob]

here is a pic of the whole plant thanks alot guys

[WhiteRabbit]

I always repot new plants as a matter of course. I do try to wait for plants to be done blooming if they are in spike/bud/bloom, if I can. Whether or not a larger pot is needed depends. I'm usually prepared with a slightly larger pot in case it's needed. Sometimes you need have the plant out of the pot to determine that.
I only have a couple of this type - but I think they like to just get dry in-between watering, moderately bright light. I'm sure others with more experience with den-phals will chime in

[mspatt]

I've got my dens outside, so they get watered when it rains--and if it doesn't rain, I water every couple of days if the weather is hot. When they are inside, I water once a week and fertilize weakly weekly.

They are finicky about being repotted and actually like to be rootbound. Just put the original pot in a heavier pot because they often become top heavy

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by mspatt

I've got my dens outside, so they get watered when it rains--and if it doesn't rain, I water every couple of days if the weather is hot. When they are inside, I water once a week and fertilize weakly weekly.

They are finicky about being repotted and actually like to be rootbound. Just put the original pot in a heavier pot because they often become top heavy

what is your climate? i am in pa, so i would love love love to have her outside for at least a little bit do they like watered as phals? and it is a den-phal?

[mspatt]

I am in Columbus. Ohio--pretty close to you. They can be outside now, and for that matter can take temps down to about 40 at night-- my den-phal is starting to spike now. It's much earlier than last year, but who's complaining?? They just grow new canes during the winter--

Give them a few hours of direct morning sunlight and bright indirect light during the afternoon. My leaves have a red edge!! They are on a covered porch, but the light is bright.( I also use Bayer's 3 in 1 on them every couple of months--last summer we were overrun with red spider mites. UGH!!)

Water: more than phals when outside. Inside, both get a good soaking once a week.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I'll add this...

Some of the roots on your Den look dead. Be careful about moving up a pot size. It may not be necessary.

In fact, don't be surprised if you must move down a pot size and put the plant with the ridiculously tiny pot in a larger pot to hold the whole thing in place. If this is the case, be creative, holding everything in place will not be easy.

Worse case scenario is that you gotta mount it.

Since I really have no idea how well the root mass is, I'm playing around with hypotheticals and what if's. You gotta check to make sure.

[Call_Me_Bob]

@ king of orchid growing-should i pull it out of the pot? i dont want to harm it, because its spiking. so i want to leave it be for now, is there any way to check without disturbing it?

@ mspatt- awesome i think im gonna put it outside now when do you bring it inside? what is bayers 3-in-1? do you fertilize?

[jeffg]

I moved several Dens similar to yours into S/H as a low cost/low risk experiment. They are doing really well - new roots and new growths on both of them. Before the switch, they just sat there. Previous attempts at repotting these types in "traditional" media did not yield the excellent results in S/H.

[Call_Me_Bob]

hmm, i have never tried s/h they are doing lots of stuff now so idk