Dendrobium Phalaenopsis var. Compactum - Repotting/Keiki Questions

[Nazz]

H! My name is Nazz I'm brand new to the board and totally fascinated with orchids general. I've got a question that's more like 20 questions. Sorry if the pics are sideways XD. first off:

This is my Den Phal var Compactum "Carney" and it seriously needs a repot out of the basket. It has 19 canes (3 of which are new and almost mature, growing in 3 different directions) as a mother plant with 2 Keikis 3 canes each and possibly more starting. it bloomed multiple times for me in October but now the leaves are getting yellow or already have fallen off and it's obviously overgrown! I can tell some of the roots are dead but a lot are still viable.

The one Keiki is tiny, and it's not showing and signs of getting bigger so Do I remove it? Or should leave it on?

The other Keiki looks not a big as the other came but like they could handle being reported, but it looks like the Keiki is making another Keiki!?


soooooo that's my boo! She's got a lot a lot going on.
should I take the Keikis off? And when I repot should I make divisions or just keep her all together? Right now she's basically in pure sphagnum moss, so that's what I think will work best for the mother plant. But with the Keikis having those Ariel roots what's the best way to pot or mount them so they take to a new media?

Any Info or advice you guys have on this orchid would be super appreciated.

[Dollythehun]

Welcome, Nazz. Yes, you can repot if new roots are starting and she's not blooming. Yes, the kiekis can come off now. If you're comfortable with moss, and it has worked for you continue to use it. As you know, den Phals eventually lose their leaves. The cane still feeds the plant and will generally rebloom. If it were mine, I would not divide it but, that is your choice. Trust me, others will weigh in. Sift our advice to suit your particular conditions. It's helpful to us to know where you live.

[estación seca]

Welcome, Nazz! That plant looks GREAT! A lot of people struggle with Den. phalaenopsis types but you certainly don't!

Plants in baskets need to be repotted either when they outgrow the basket (which it hasn't), when the basket falls apart (which yours isn't) or when the medium decomposes (I don't know... has it?) Because it's a small-scale plant, yours could stay in a basket that size for a lot longer.

The basket is only a place to hold a hanging wire and give the roots something to attach to. Your plant could completely grow out of the basket and attach all the way around the outside, and it would still look great. It would be a big ball of vegetation and roots, and the basket wouldn't even be visible. So I personally wouldn't repot and I wouldn't divide.

If the sphagnum is breaking down, you can gently remove it strand by strand, and stuff some more in there. Once the plant starts growing out and around the basket, there will come a time when you can't see the medium any more. But it won't matter, because all the living roots will be on the outside of the basket.

The keiki is big enough to separate, but you don't need to. If you leave keikiis on the plant, you wind up with an even huger ball of plant and flowers. I would leave it alone unless I wanted to trade with somebody else. This photo I found searching for "orchid on a chain" is not a Dendrobium, but it gives you an idea of how your plant would cover the basket:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/41/9d...e581de9cca.jpg

[Nazz]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

Welcome, Nazz. Yes, you can repot if new roots are starting and she's not blooming. Yes, the kiekis can come off now. If you're comfortable with moss, and it has worked for you continue to use it. As you know, den Phals eventually lose their leaves. The cane still feeds the plant and will generally rebloom. If it were mine, I would not divide it but, that is your choice. Trust me, others will weigh in. Sift our advice to suit your particular conditions. It's helpful to us to know where you live.

Thanks for the welcome, Dolly! I live in Baltimore, MD so my conditions are cold and dry but I keep the house comfortable. I thought Den Phals were suppose to be evergreen though. Because for the sudden amount of yellowing leaves it's been making me nervous something was wrong!

---------- Post added at 10:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:04 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

Welcome, Nazz. Yes, you can repot if new roots are starting and she's not blooming. Yes, the kiekis can come off now. If you're comfortable with moss, and it has worked for you continue to use it. As you know, den Phals eventually lose their leaves. The cane still feeds the plant and will generally rebloom. If it were mine, I would not divide it but, that is your choice. Trust me, others will weigh in. Sift our advice to suit your particular conditions. It's helpful to us to know where you live.

Originally Posted by estación seca

Welcome, Nazz! That plant looks GREAT! A lot of people struggle with Den. phalaenopsis types but you certainly don't!

Plants in baskets need to be repotted either when they outgrow the basket (which it hasn't), when the basket falls apart (which yours isn't) or when the medium decomposes (I don't know... has it?) Because it's a small-scale plant, yours could stay in a basket that size for a lot longer.

The basket is only a place to hold a hanging wire and give the roots something to attach to. Your plant could completely grow out of the basket and attach all the way around the outside, and it would still look great. It would be a big ball of vegetation and roots, and the basket wouldn't even be visible. So I personally wouldn't repot and I wouldn't divide.

If the sphagnum is breaking down, you can gently remove it strand by strand, and stuff some more in there. Once the plant starts growing out and around the basket, there will come a time when you can't see the medium any more. But it won't matter, because all the living roots will be on the outside of the basket.

The keiki is big enough to separate, but you don't need to. If you leave keikiis on the plant, you wind up with an even huger ball of plant and flowers. I would leave it alone unless I wanted to trade with somebody else. This photo I found searching for "orchid on a chain" is not a Dendrobium, but it gives you an idea of how your plant would cover the basket:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/41/9d...e581de9cca.jpg

Thank you for the compliment and all the insight! I love that quote 'big ball of vegetation' haha. I figured the the new canes growing almost horizontally meant the basket was on its way out. The moss is pretty compacted in there so I can't really see what the roots are doing aside from the couple that grow around and outside. That picture definitely makes me wanna wait it out to see how far it can go though!

[Dollythehun]

You'll find we all have different methods. It's due to our climates and habits, work, watering etc.

If your moss is compacted, I would at least change out as much as you can.

Thanks Brassalova looks great as a big ball of foliage. In mho, yours would look neater with the kiekis removed.