Dendrobium

[Freddie]

Hi all,

I am sure this topic has been discussed in the past, so forgive me for reposting this question...

I have a good few kinds of orchids, but none as confusing to me as dendrobiums. I have a few dendrobiums, mostly NoID bar three (dendrobium falconeri, dendrobium tetragonum and dendrobium loddigessi) and I am extremely confused as to how to cultivate them...

While I was able to determine that most of them need a rest, one of my NoIDs and my dendrobium loddigessi actually do much better with a light watering in the winter.

What makes it confusing too is that it is during this winter rest that the seem to spike, and I really don't know if I should keep watering then or not.

Also, how much of a rest do they need? No water at all or only slight watering? When do you stop watering? When do you resume?

I would really appreciate your advice.

[mattryan]

I can only tell you of the nobile type as that is the only type I have. My nobile I stopped all fert Sept. 1st. and I put into an unheated room. As for watering I misted and only heavy watered maybe once a month or so if really dry. I started getting buds beginning of Nov. and as they progressed I slowly increased watering. Around the 20th of Dec the first buds started to open, I had 5 canes with flowers still blooming today. I have been really lucky as this same den has bloomed 3 times this year alone! Same time as now last year (jan), during the summer it bloomed (July) and at the end of this past year (dec). In my album is a pic of it if you're interested. Goodluck with yours

Cheryl

[Bud]

The falconeri and loddigessi both is endemic to forests of Asia whereas tetragonum is from the coastal regions of Queensland to South Wales of Australia. It is important to know where the plants originates to be able to give it proper culture in Urban city environment or greenhouse. Even in its original habitat in its rest period: your Dendrobiums have access to little water in its environment from morning dew and completely dries all day but the monsoon rains floods it with water for two month periods but you need not flood it in your home environment just give it liberal watering in summer. I try to mimic the environment it used to grow in my place.
All of the Dendrobiums you mentioned needs winter rest altho some Dendrobiums may not need a rest period. I usually wing it by observation. After the last bloom fades some of the leaves fall out and that is my cue to lessen water; some Dendrobiums need to stop water and fertilizer and spray it a bit if the canes shrivel too much....but the Dendrobiums you have need only less water ie: if you water it every week you then water it every other week ....rest stops when you see new growths or a spike....it means the rest period of the plant is over and you continue the watering and fertilizer regimen especially in the warmer growing month period.

[Freddie]

Thank you both for your answers.
I still have a few unanswered questions.
One of my dends recently lost its flowers but also had two young growths that were in spike. The mature plant has no leaves now, indicating that it should maybe rest, so I watered less and the spikes on the new growths died. What did I do wrong? Should I have lessened the watering or continued as normal?
I also have another dend, three mature growths, two have lost all there leaves, one has three leaves left only and in spike (the spikes don't look like they will flower though). It is currently resting. It also has one tiny new growth. Again, should I stop watering or not?
Also, they are sitting in a coldish location (between 15 and 18 celsius max, colder at night), but it can be quite humid (up to 70% sometimes). Is this too humid for the resting period?
my dends look healthy enough, but I just can't seem to get the spike to bloom

[mattryan]

As I stated I don't have your type, but it sounds as though what died were keikis. That's why you (for nobiles anyway) stop all fert beginning of Sept. so you get flowers and not keiki's. A picture sure would help, so then peeps that have your type can be of more help than I.

Cheryl

[Freddie]

I'm a useless photographer but will post a picture.
Also was wondering if mounted dends need the same resting period as the potted ones? My falconeri is mounted and doesn't seem to mind being sprayed.

So does this mean you cut off watering from September for a couple of months? It doesn't have to rest in winter then? Or does it depend on the plant and I should look out for the signs?

[Bud]

your grow zone is Ireland....you must compare the winter in the original place of origin of the plants to your winter....and get the difference....it doesnt mean September is etched in stone for your winter rest....observe your plant....it might be November that it will need rest not in September or it might be right now....the canes are not dead even if the leaves fall off your Dends will flower on old leafless canes....if the keikis die it means you did not hydrate it....you should spray the keikis even if you are not watering the main mother plant....keikis are babies and they have their own roots its a separate plant from the mother they need more nourishment to survive....

tip:
if the flowers are gone and leaves fall= rest(your Dends potted or mounted needs water every other week=do not withould water at all for two months=look at the canes if they shrivel too much then spray some....
if there is new growth after rest=resume water and fertilizer regimen

[Orchid126]

In the wild, nobile dens are subject to monsoons, meaning long periods of rain and long periods of dryness. This is what they need in order to bloom. That being said, the period of dryness is a period of no water but lots of humidity and very cold temperatures. If a plant is kept dry at the roots then humidity must be replaced at the leaves by spraying. At the very most the plant should be given baby sips of water or it may not flower and only produce keikis.

To confuse the issue, there are new hybrids out there that don't need the long periods of cold dryness.

Besides nobiles, there are dozens of other types of dens that do not need the chilling and dryness. Check the cane to see where the bloom stubs are. If they are up and down the cane chances are it's a nobile. If they are at the tip of the cane, they are not and need different care.

[Freddie]

I'm finally getting closer to understanding how to care for those little buggers.
The canes don't look shriveled, except for one dend which a friend gave me before moving abroad. It has just bloomed but the base of the cane looks really skinny...
The keikis are all doing fine, only that the flower spikes just die off on me.
Still not too sure about withdrawing water on my loddigessi. Doesn't look like the kind of plant that needs a big dry rest. Any experience with those?
I'll be doing more spraying from now on during the rest period.
When do you resume normal watering then?

Thanks all for your help!

[Bud]

you resume normal watering and fertilizer when you see new growth forming in your plant....so observe if there is something sprouting out from your plants; either flower spikes or new keikis....then and only then it is time to resume normal regimen

dude, you need to read and understand the notes we give you: you are asking questions already answered....review the tips we give you