Dendrochillum wenzelii Care - Orchid Board

DendrobiumFan · #1 08-11-2010, 04:43 PM

Hi Everyone!

I am somewhat new to orchid growing, about a year into it. I purchased a small Dendrochillum wenzelii (about a 2 inch pot) this past winter, and it was doing fine in my house under lights. When spring arrived, I moved all my orchids outdoors as the house can get somewhat stuffy. It is being grown in a mostly shaded area with bright light. I water about twice weekly, and it is in tree fern medium. It keeps loosing leaves. There are no signs of disease, but the base of the leaf gets slightly dry and falls away. There aren't too many leaves left. I live in NJ. Our summer this year has been very hot and humid. I'm not sure what to do. I would welcome all suggestions! Thank-you.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #2 08-11-2010, 04:51 PM

Might be a problem with humidity.

DendrobiumFan · #3 08-11-2010, 05:01 PM

I would agree if this had been winter, but our summer has had humidity up to 80% and higher daily. Do you think it could be the high heat we have been having, and could I be over or under watering?

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #4 08-11-2010, 05:03 PM

Can you list the temperatures?

Are there pics of the plant?

DendrobiumFan · #5 08-11-2010, 05:18 PM

I don't have a pic at the moment. The temps have been between 85 - 105 F over the entire summer. Night temps only go down a few degrees for the most part. Today, it will cool off to 90 F.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #6 08-11-2010, 05:25 PM

I think you've found your culprit then.

Dendrochilum spp. are for the most part intermediate growing plants.

If it's gonna be blazing hot during the day in the summer, then the temperatures should be much cooler at night - say around 60 F or 70 F. Preferably 60 F.

susiep · #7 08-11-2010, 05:58 PM

Hello Den Fan! I recently killed one of these, too. They are not easy. Mine was in good shape when I bought it, even had a spike started. The spike got very close to blooming before it dried up and fell off. Then the leaves started going in just the way you described. I finally had no leaves and I assume the roots were dead. I grew mine inside the house, because of the outside high temps. The humidity was not as high as should have been. I put the little 2 in pot inside of another slightly bigger pot filled with coconut chips to hold more moisture and increase humidity. But it was too little, too late. I won't be trying to grow this one again any time soon!