winter rest when does it start?

[Bud]

she is right....fertilizer is not provided in drought conditions in situ....it is when there is rains that the fertilizer in the form of animal secretions and debris is dissolved and provided to the plants....

I follow orchid culture as provided to me by experienced orchid growers who have developed their techniques through the years. Since it was handed down to me through the kindness of their hearts and for free....then it is also my duty to inform others of what I know no matter how obsolete or repetitive it may sound.... I have a very malleable outlook in life= I instigate change and new ideas

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by Bud

she is right....fertilizer is not provided in drought conditions in situ....it is when there is rains that the fertilizer in the form of animal secretions and debris is dissolved and provided to the plants....

I follow orchid culture as provided to me by experienced orchid growers who have developed their techniques through the years. Since it was handed down to me through the kindness of their hearts and for free....then it is also my duty to inform others of what I know no matter how obsolete or repetitive it may sound.... I have a very malleable outlook in life= I instigate change and new ideas

I know Bud, and you are always here and so so helpful. So for all of us here, thank you so much for it. As they say, knowledge is everything. And you know and read a LOT! I love that Dendrobium book you recommended, reading it every day now!

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Pretty much the same here, you are right! Thanks!

[kindrag23]

Heres hoping! With the propane heater it should stay warm but not to warm! So I pray for spikes!

[james mickelso]

Winter rest is a misnomer. It is a broad definition for many different requirements and conditions. Some catts need a rest after flowering. Cyms need a rest before flowering. Some orchids just don't grow in winter because they lose their leaves. Some don't grow because of the sun angle. Most don't grow in cooler weather. Most flower during their respective dry seasons and require less water. In Tejas the rest season is when it becomes too cool to grow. In Canada the rest would come when the light levels are too low. When the orchids rest whatever the reason, give little to no food and little water. When it is cool/cold their is little growth and the water will just sit in the roots and cause molds/fungus. Rotting the roots. The leaves don't transpire the moisture very well if at all and the plant deteriorates. If it is cool/cold, the plant isn't making any new vegetative growth and doesn't need food. In Florida, it is sun angle more than anything that determines what needs the plant will have. In Tejas the temperature will determine what the plant will need. In Chicago the light level is so low that supplemental light will be the most critical thing. In Minneaplois you can grow year round if you provide adequate light and heat. But even there, once the plant finishes blooming, it will need a rest until new growth starts. That is important just about everywhere. Of course here at the beach I have a couple catts that are flowering right now AND producing new growth. They get confused. So for any orchid, when it finishes flowering.....rest. If it stops growing.....rest. If they lose leaves....rest.

[RosieC]

Someone once told me (she was Florida based) that winter rest should be Halloween to Valentines.

I use that as a very rough guide... but am never sure which plants to give a winter rest to anyway We do have an old thread http://www.orchidboard.com/community...nter-rest.html which might help there.

I've more recently been told that for some of my Dendrobiums I should be stopping fertiliser in August and then reducing water right down nearer Halloween. I'm only trying that for the first time this year so yet to see the results

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by RosieC

Someone once told me (she was Florida based) that winter rest should be Halloween to Valentines.

I use that as a very rough guide... but am never sure which plants to give a winter rest to anyway We do have an old thread http://www.orchidboard.com/community...nter-rest.html which might help there.

I've more recently been told that for some of my Dendrobiums I should be stopping fertiliser in August and then reducing water right down nearer Halloween. I'm only trying that for the first time this year so yet to see the results

Rosie, my seller of dendro mobiles from Florida specifically told me MUST STOP FERTILIZE end of August, than limited water during the fall and than winter rest (in Florida can be pushed later, I will do probably between 15 December till new growth and flowering around valentine's. If my dendros looses all the leaves prior to December, than winter rest starts for them at that time. Will still watch them and mist lightly if canes look too dry. This is my very first year of winter rest as well and I bought way too many dendros this summer so I have what to watch for!:-)

[Island Girl]

I've also heard Halloween to Valentines day. That's what I go by more or less (I never can remember when Valentines day is... Halloween, yes)

[Leafmite]

With species Cattleyas, I like to check the Chadwick and Son website for their recommendations. I really find the information there quite useful.

[kindrag23]

All I can say is it will be really hard not to water my plants. We still have to lightly water around here to prevent the roots from dry rotting in the cold. Who knew...