Dendrobium Nobile Care after Blooming

[RosieC]

I keep mine cool until the weather naturally warms which is different each year. Last year they were all quite late developing buds anyway.

[Edwin Reffell]

This is what it says about D nobile on the Yamamoto link WhiteRabbit posted. "The species are extremely hardy, surviving temperatures ranging from warm to downright hot as well as enduring freezing temperatures in some locales. If kept dry, these species and hybrids will survive winter temperatures of 37-39 F (3-4 C) and will flower around April. If temperatures are maintained at about 62-64 F (17-18 C) as soon as buds appear, they will flower in January or February." I shall follow their advice on D nobiles.

[RosieC]

Sounds good. Yes I think I go the cooler route. I think if following the warmer route I would bring them in once they start to flower.

[NYCorchidman]

Yamamoto website gives some very good information as to how to care for these plants.

By the way, DO NOT expose your plants to cool temperature now.
Here is why.
Your plant was "forced" to bloom at an odd time of the year for marketing.

See the tallest cane with dried up spikes along each node, and then the new shoots at its base?
This would "normally" and ideally happen in the spring time, when flowers just fade away and new growth cycle resumes.

Since yours is out of its "normal" growth cycle, you want to continue to provide warm growing environment to encourage those new shoots to grow on. Otherwise, you will be damaging those tiny new growths.

Your main focus is to grow them as big as possible for the best show next season, which will be either the fall of 2014 or the spring of 2015.

Keep the plant warm (these plants take full sun and hot temperature, although not required) and expose to strong light for good growth.
Also, water well so as not to dry out.

[Edwin Reffell]

Thank you I had no idea. It has been on my cool balcony for a week or more. Now it is inside and watered. It is 22 C where it stands, near the kitchen window facing south and I have extra lighting as it is cloudy and will soon be dark again here (about 3 p.m. it gets dark and at after 8 a.m. it gets light). I do not want to force any of my orchids but just see to their requirements for them to thrive and bloom naturally. If I had my way no plants would ever be forced, not even for marketing. The Dendrobium kingianum is a keiki from an old plant whose flowers I have not seen. A friend gave me it. I do not know what it needs and have assumed that it needed to be cooled and dry over the winter. As you see the tips of the leaves are beige. I took that to be an indication that the plant needed to be wintered. Therefore it is on the balcony where it is now 14 C. Should I bring it in too? When I go out I close the balcony door. Outside it is 7 C so the balcony temperature will probably sink to 10 C or if I am unlucky lower. I have cherry tomatoes there so I aim at a temperature of at least 10 C when it is light. For the 4 wintering Phaleonopsis I aim at a night temperature of 11-14 C. As long as it is light they are inside in a window facing south. I have no room for them where I have extra lighting.

[NYCorchidman]

You're welcome!
I'd love to offer help.

Regarding your kingianum, they are about as hardy as nobile. That one can stay in the cool room for the entire winter. Keep them on the dry side but you do need to water every so often. Otherwise, they will dry up and die.

Phals will adapt to "artificial winter" when it is cool and days are shorter. 15 at night is perfect any time of the year but 10 may be too cold.
You want to bring them next to your bedroom maybe?
Keep then on the dry side also. Otherwise, rot may set in.
Are your phala in moss or bark?

If in moss, do not soak as doing so can invite problems during the cooler&darker season.
Just mist the moss heavily until it becomes just moist.

If in bark, you want to thoroughly water it when dry.

All the best!

[Chris17]

I have a nobile hybrid which blooms heavily. I found it is crucial to stop fertilizing mid-August or it will keep initiating new canes at end of season. I reduce watering starting November, but with hybrids, you don't really need to stop watering completely. I open the window at night and it gets night temps around 50f each night starting in November. I resume watering and fertilizing once the buds are developing, usually mid-February.