D is for difficult Dendrobiums

[desertanimal]

Yes, if I kill enough, I'm sure I'll find the ones that are right for me! lol. But seriously, killing a few does help with figuring out what will thrive in the conditions you have to give, doesn't it. I'll keep trying with Den phals. I don't care for plants that drop their leaves, and I really like the flower spikes on Den phals.


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[estación seca]

You have lowish humidity in Pasadena, especially when it's hot, which is most of the summer. Maybe that has something to do with it.

[campchi]

Originally Posted by desertanimal

Yes, if I kill enough, I'm sure I'll find the ones that are right for me! lol. But seriously, killing a few does help with figuring out what will thrive in the conditions you have to give, doesn't it. I'll keep trying with Den phals. I don't care for plants that drop their leaves, and I really like the flower spikes on Den phals.


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Well, no worry, you will do just fine. Optionally, you can use humidity tray to boost the humidity knowing LECA dry fast. Den. Phal and den. Nobile are very robust, they dont died easily. They might not look pretty, but heck, they dont died. I've got one where I trim off all the root and after 6 months, it blooms for me and it grew massive root with the new growth. Just give it time and care. It will reward you.

[estación seca]

I bought a D primulinum x loddigesii in August. When it came I got frightened because it was so soft, lush and green, and it was mounted on tree fern. I doused it in water every evening and sprayed the mount every morning. It completed its growth without turning a hair, and I stopped fertilizing. Now I am dithering because we aren't in full winter yet. I guess I need to stop watering and put it outside in the shade, since our nights are in the 40s-50s F.

It's blooming size, and yes, if I get flowers, I'll post them.

[desertanimal]

Well if you can grow them mounted in PHX, I should be able to grow them in LECA in LA. I've been watering them daily now. We'll see how that goes!


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[estación seca]

It's time to be cutting back on the nobile watering. They normally lose all their leaves every winter. Other Dens are not treated like this.

I think you originally said your survivors are D. phal and D. bigibb types. I just got a couple of these in bloom. From what I read they don't want a long waterless winter rest and retain leaves for several years.

[Optimist]

What stuck in my brain when I was first starting to get a few Dends is that they are usually very thirsty, and heavy feeders until they go dormant if they do. lots of water, good drainage. I had mine outside last year, and was not afraid to water them once a day, twice when the 90's and higher hit. Like they say, they need about 35% shade, under a tree that is not totally "thick" is good. I have a Nobile, anantilope type (C. K. Ai. Oka) and a TJ dend phal noid.

[theloyalplum]

My D. unicum nbs seedlings are being stubborn! I've found out that they are reluctant to root and hate being disturbed and haven't done much except plump up their growths, but the tiny growths... just stay tiny. I'm hoping they get through the winter, so I can give them a proper growing/rest season because it's getting a little frustrating! GRRRR. I want these to grow! All my other little dendrobiums grow... :'(

[estación seca]

My seedling D. unicum is making new growths. I'm going to keep it warm, bright, watered and fertilized so long as it does so.

[desertanimal]

Originally Posted by estación seca

It's time to be cutting back on the nobile watering. They normally lose all their leaves every winter. Other Dens are not treated like this.



I think you originally said your survivors are D. phal and D. bigibb types. I just got a couple of these in bloom. From what I read they don't want a long waterless winter rest and retain leaves for several years.

Correct! I have no surviving nobile types, so I don't need to worry about a hard rest. My Stardust gets plenty of water but no fertilizer until it starts making growths in the spring. That worked last year to get it to bloom. The others are Den phals that I've either just gotten and are probably not in their seasonal cycle here yet, and one that is in active growth after getting settled in here, so those are getting water and fertilizer.


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