My new Dendrobium

[keegan937]

I just received my new dendrobium. Please take a look at it whether it seems healthy. It is currently in a 3.5" pot. I was wondering whether it requires repotting, and also the roots seem a bit thin. Is the algae growing on the medium a problem ?

Thanks

[Dollythehun]

It looks good. Algae is normal from a vendor.

[keegan937]

So I shouldn't repot it and just leave it?
Also how frequently should I water the plant during the rainy season? Is it okay to leave the plant out at the windowsill during rains?

[Dollythehun]

It appears you have a new root or shoot growing,so now is a good time to Repot. I use a medium bark and a clay pot. They like smaller, shallower pots. Mine have sat in the rain with no ill effects but how much rain do you get? There are some aspects that are always the same and some that vary with where we live. That is why there are so many opinions.

[keegan937]

At my location, I am expecting regular showers starting next week, nearly throughout the day, for the next 2-3 months. There will be mostly rainy days, however as my window has a canopy or shelter, the plant won't be under any direct showers.

[Dollythehun]

They shouldn't stay wet. They need to almost dry out then get water...in my opinion. I have several and that works for me.

[SaraJean]

I'm not an expert on Dens so hopefully some more people will chime in but I think the question about leaving it out in the rain depends on, at least, a few factors.. What is the potting medium? What are your temperatures? How much air flow is the plant getting? How much rain?
I live in a subtropical (and very, very swampy) climate, so all of my dendrobiums that are left outside are in clay pots with a very quick drying media. During my spring and summers, it can rain several times a week to almost everyday, and I believe that I have not had a problem yet because of the way they are potted combined with my high temps. When it gets cooler I do grow them dryer.
Your plant does look like it could be repotted but make sure you have new root growth starting (which it looks like you do from the pictures) and especially if you just purchased this. Stick with a smaller pot, maybe just the next size up. The roots on demdrobiums are thinner than those on phalenopsis orchids, FYI, so don't worry about that. Just clean off the dead roots when you repot, those will be the ones that feel squishy and hollow

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

The Dendrobium is grown in coconut chunks or chips, or whatever it is called nowadays, in a net pot/basket. If you choose to leave the orchid alone for now, it is still good for another growing season. If you choose to repot now, it is not a problem either because of the new root growth. I'm leaning towards advising you to repot now for the purposes of you knowing how old the potting media is, making things nice and clean for the new roots, and preventing future problems. Just be careful with those new roots if you choose to repot now. Work very slow. Choose a day where you're not in a hurry to get somewhere to do this. If you're still going to use that net pot/basket again, I'd just use coconut husk chips or chunks as a potting media. If you find that the orchid is too top heavy during repotting, you can use bamboo stakes and floral wires to keep the plant steady and in place. Again, be careful with the new roots and work slow.

I agree with Dollythehun, the algae is not a big issue, it just makes things look a bit less presentable, but if that doesn't matter to you, then it's no big deal.

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

They shouldn't stay wet. They need to almost dry out then get water...in my opinion. I have several and that works for me.

For this particular kind of Dendrobium, the above statement is actually not an opinion, especially when coconut husk chips can retain a lot of water. The plant can handle getting rained on for a day or two the way it is currently grown, but for it to be left out in the rain for more than that can lead to problems, especially if it gets cold. I don't really know what the weather is like in the part of of India you live in, so having said what I said, you can make your own judgement on the matter.

Other than this, your plant looks fairly healthy to me. Good luck with it.

[SaraJean]

Originally Posted by keegan937

At my location, I am expecting regular showers starting next week, nearly throughout the day, for the next 2-3 months. There will be mostly rainy days, however as my window has a canopy or shelter, the plant won't be under any direct showers.

If it won't be in any direct rain, you would just water it when the media dries. Like dollythehun said, they do need to dry out so do not keep them wet constantly. Good luck!

[keegan937]

Thanks for all the input !
I have the Better-gro super orchid potting mix so I will repot it soon.