First Dendrobium, help please! :)

[butterfly_muse]

Evening, everyone!

I picked up my first dendrobium this evening while my fiance and I were out at Lowes..shocked I found one there, but I fell in love with its flowers and I have been wanting try one for a while. It looked healthy from what I could see (I didn't remove it to look at its roots but I did dig through the moss some), though I am not that familiar with them.

I was wondering if you guys could take a look at the pictures and tell me how it looks, if there is anything I should be concerned with, and what I should do with it as far as leaving it where it is or repotting it in another medium. I was also wondering if it was overpotted? It's only got two stalks (and a third dinky tiny one, not sure if that's old or new?) and it looks sort of small for the pot.

Its pot does have drainage and upon inspection into the drainage holes it has a bunch of styrofoam in there as well for drainage. I could only see a few stringy green roots, I have not taken it out to look at it.

Are these one of the variety that require a winter rest after blooming? What kind of light should I give it? I'm currently in the process of buying some of Ray's LEDs for the rest of my collection, as my windows face west and have trees outside so everyone is now getting significantly less light.

Any help would be appreciated, and in the mean time, I will get to Googling!

Thanks!!

PS - Sorry for my crappy cell phone pictures and equally messy kitchen. =3

[Nexogen]

Dendrobium phalaenopsis (its overpoted); doesn’t like to be repotted, do not over pot, well draining media, watering should be kept to a minimum until grow new roots(spray only), let them dry between watering, no winter rest, keep fingers crossed.

[butterfly_muse]

So it's overpotted but wouldn't like being repotted? So what do I do just leave it as is? Do I need to at least change its media? =\ I'm confused.

[Nexogen]

Originally Posted by butterfly_muse

So it's overpotted but wouldn't like being repotted? So what do I do just leave it as is? Do I need to at least change its media? =\ I'm confused.

You are the owner, It’s yours choice, you can leave it as is (big pot, no drainage) but I suggesting you to repot in a small clay pot 3" and media can be used from premium quality NZ sphagnum moss to tree fern, sponge rock, LECA, bark, etc… Anyhow, few months after repotting you don’t see activity from this guy(Dendrobium doesn’t like to be repotted)

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Reduce pot size.

Switch out from moss to lava rocks or diatomite.

The species, Dendrobium phalaenopsis, are primarily lithophytes in the wild.

[WhiteRabbit]

I grow my potted Den-phal in chc mix (chc/pumice/perlite), small plastic pot, west facing window, allow media to approach dry before watering. It seems happy enough.

No winter rest, tho media can be slightly drier in winter.

I've not had problems repotting mine in spring when there is new growth.

Does that pot drain?

[butterfly_muse]

It does drain and it looks to have Styrofoam blocks inside to assist drainage as well.

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Reduce pot size.

Switch out from moss to lava rocks or diatomite.

The species, Dendrobium phalaenopsis, are primarily lithophytes in the wild.

Should I wait to repot it until after it has flowered? Would it hurt it to put it in some bark or CHC or a combination therein?

---------- Post added at 10:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:01 AM ----------

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

I grow my potted Den-phal in chc mix (chc/pumice/perlite), small plastic pot, west facing window, allow media to approach dry before watering. It seems happy enough.

No winter rest, tho media can be slightly drier in winter.

I've not had problems repotting mine in spring when there is new growth.

Does that pot drain?

I only have CHC and bark with perlite/charcoal mixed into it - do you think if I did a combo of all of that it would be okay, or can I just put it in bark, or??

---------- Post added at 10:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:02 AM ----------

Also, on the last picture, the cane in that photo is sort of wrinkled as opposed to plump - is that normal? The moss that the dendro is currently potted in is moist, so I don't think it's a lack of water thing. Should I pull it out and look at its roots, or just leave it? I don't want to upset it and make it drop all of its pretty flowers.

[WhiteRabbit]

It will likely lose its blooms if you disturb it. If you can manage to not over water as it is, leave it for the time. You might pull out some sphag if it's really packed in there, and fluff the remaining sphag with a skewer or similar instrument. Use a skewer to help determine when to water.

Older canes will wrinkle slightly.

These do have somewhat fine roots.

When you do repot, I think the media you have on hand should be fine. The added charcoal and perlite will help ensure good drainage.

I only have two of this type (one a mounted species, the other potted hybrid), but I don't think the hybrids are too horribly fussy so long as the media and pot drain well, and they are watered appropriately. Others with more experience with these hybrids may correct me

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

It will likely lose its blooms if you disturb it. If you can manage to not over water as it is, leave it for the time. You might pull out some sphag if it's really packed in there, and fluff the remaining sphag with a skewer or similar instrument. Use a skewer to help determine when to water.

Older canes will wrinkle slightly.

These do have somewhat fine roots.

When you do repot, I think the media you have on hand should be fine. The added charcoal and perlite will help ensure good drainage.

I only have two of this type (one a mounted species, the other potted hybrid), but I don't think the hybrids are too horribly fussy so long as the media and pot drain well, and they are watered appropriately. Others with more experience with these hybrids may correct me

I will leave it alone for the time being, there are large pieces of styrofoam in there so I think that is assisting drainage. I poured just a teeny weeny bit of fertilizer into the pot last night to see if the drainage was good and it was. After it loses its blooms and if it doesn't decide it wants to put up more, I'll downsize its pot. Thanks for the help!