Denrobium Nobile flowering, buds and new shoots....Hi - Orchid Board

Gillian Higgitt · #1 01-20-2008, 09:50 AM

Hi, I'm new to all things orchid and anxious to do the right thing. I recently acquired a completely dried out but flowering Dendrobium Nobile. I understand that these orchids flower during the dry season, but this one is also in bud and has 2 new tiny canes growing.

I'd be really grateful if someone could advise me on it's watering/fertilizing requirements.

Thanks, Gill

jrhennek · #2 01-20-2008, 10:00 AM

Gill

These plants bloom at the end of there dry season and just as new growth is starting. When you see the new growth start you want to start watering, give it more light. In order to get it to rebloom you will have to give it a rest period and allow the leaves to drop. I have not grown these den so I can't tell you when the rest period should be.

jayme

smweaver · #3 01-20-2008, 11:21 AM

Gill, if the canes are growing, it's probably safe to start watering. Try to keep water out of the developing canes, however. If the plant's already flowering and putting out new growths, it's coming out of the necessary dry period and should react favorably to water and fertilizer now. I think a decent rule of thumb is to avoid watering the nobile Dendrobiums between the time the new growths mature in the early fall and the time when you can see actual buds begin to form (and wait until you're sure that they're definitely buds; if you start watering when you see bumps begin to form on the mature canes, there's a good chance that you'll get a bunch of miserable keikis--baby plants--instead of flowers). Good luck with your plant--and congratulations on the flowers!

Steve

Gillian Higgitt · #4 01-20-2008, 12:36 PM

Thanks a lot for your precious advice Jayme and Steve! I thought it might be time to water, but I was scared to do more harm than good...There seem to be buds on one of the other mature canes, I hope they're not keikis!!!

Gill

smweaver · #5 01-20-2008, 12:43 PM

Gill, if they're keikis, just let them grow a few roots, and then pull them off and pass on the curse--I mean hobby--to some of your friends.

quiltergal · #6 01-20-2008, 10:33 PM

Gill, several people here recommended putting them in a cooler location that still gets good light from Halloween to Valentines Day. During that time period they get no water at all. I put mine out in my quilting studio. It stays in the high 40's to low 50's in the winter in there. It's in a west facing window. I went out to check it last week and it has one bud developing, hopefully more on the way. I like putting it out there because I'm not tempted to water it.

Gillian Higgitt · #7 01-22-2008, 01:33 PM

Thanks for that. I am already getting used to the idea that I'll have to be mean to it if I want to see it flower next year! I was just worried about drying out the baby canes it's growing and thought it was weird that these should be developing at the same time as the flowers and buds. I've only had it for a couple of weeks so I don't know if this last winter rest period has been fully respected, or if it has been watered too early, thus the new growth.

Gill

Ross · #8 01-22-2008, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gillian Higgitt

Thanks for that. I am already getting used to the idea that I'll have to be mean to it if I want to see it flower next year! Gill

Actually Gill, you may see the leaves start to turn yellow around end of October. When this starts to happen, just stop all water/fertilizer. When the plant is good and ready, you will see bud swell. As Steve suggests, hold off water (even if the new green shoots have started) until you are convinced the buds are flowers. For me, I wait till buds are approx 1 cm or longer.

Ross · #9 01-22-2008, 02:21 PM

To add to my last post, D. anosmum (mine) is technically a nobile-type but type II, not type I. It behaves the same however. Here is a picture of mine this afternoon. Buds are 2 cm length.

smweaver · #10 01-22-2008, 02:32 PM

Very nice, Ross. How long are the canes on your plant? Do you know how old it is? Is it potted in a basket or pot? Sorry for the barrage of questions, but I have a seedling (longest cane is approximately eighteen inches long) that's getting ready to flower for the first time. It's not got nearly as many buds (swellings?) as your plant has, but hopefully that will change as it reaches adulthood (whenever that might be). Thanks for posting the pics of your plant--and Gil, I'm very sorry to have gotten off of your original topic here.

Steve