Tips to rescue an orchid?

[Alfsdad]

Hi all.

I am new to this so I am hoping someone could possibly help?

I have attached a photo.

My partner loves orchids, but despite this she can never keep one alive for more than a month. I bought this one for her in Feb, but again it appears to be dying.

She is watering once a week, it’s being kept on the kitchen windowsill, in the sun but out of direct sunlight.

If anyone could help me rescue this, or let me know if it’s beyond saving I would be eternally grateful!

Many kind Regards,
Sam.

[Orchid Whisperer]

I'm a little confused.

Photo looks like a very healthy plant. There are some flowers fading, but that is normal after awhile. No flower lasts forever.

Otherwise, do you have a specific problem? Tell us what the issue is, other members may be able to help. I don't grow a lot of Dendrobiums, but maybe someone that does can give you some tips on caring for your orchid.

[rbarata]

Yes, the plant looks ok. It even have a new growth that seems healthy.

[Alfsdad]

Hi,

Thank you for the replies. I assumed that as the flowers were dropping off it was dying?

Will it reflower? Or is it just a case of once it’s gone it’s gone?

Many thanks.

[Roberta]

A healthy plant (which this appears to be) will reflower, probably at the same time next year. When one achieves that, the orchid addiction is very likely.. Success makes us all want MORE orchids.

This one looks like it is a Dendrobium of the Den. nobile type. For a couple of months in winter (like November/December/January) it wants less water (but not bone-dry), no fertilizer, and somewhat cooler as well. When drier, if it drops a some leaves from the older canes not a problem - the new flowers appear on the old canes even if they are leafless. However, better to not be quite so severe. But for now, plenty of water, fertilize "weakly weekly" or thereabouts.

[Orchid Whisperer]

An orchid can live and bloom for decades (potentially) given the right conditions.

[Optimist]

Oh no! I hope you did not throw others away because they lost their flowers! Orchids (for the most part) bloom once a year for a while (a few weeks to a few months). Their flowers drop, they get a bit scraggly, they have new canes or leaves and start all over the next year.

Usually the new cane (on dendrobium) will flower when it is ready. The old canes are then like storage organs where the orchid stores its ready-made sugar. The plant uses up the insides of the older canes over the year, and then they get super dry and woody. This event takes a few years.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

You can read more about growing this kind of orchid here. In the top maroon menu bar choose Search then search on Dendrobium nobile. Your plant is a hybrid of this type of orchid.

There are many different Dendrobiums from many different climates, so care for this one is different from other Dendrobiums. The main things to keep in mind for good flowering next year are:

1 Water heavily when making new growth. Once a week might not be enough. The medium in the pot should not go completely dry. If it dries out the developing new growth might be harmed. The new shoot seen at the right of the photo should grow to the size of the largest stem bearing flowers. Even if it doesn't get this big, it should flower next spring.

2 Fertilize weekly with almost any garden fertilizer. Mix it at a quarter the amount recommended on the label for other kinds of plants.

3 Don't fertilize after about the end of August. Later fertilizing prevents flowering the next spring. This is the commonest reason plants don't flower then next spring.

4 A very very cool and bright winter is important for flowering. 5-8C at night is good. It will survive down to just above freezing. You can put it outside in winter so long as it doesn't freeze. It will drop many or even all of its leaves. This is normal. Reduce watering in winter to about once a week. Lack of proper winter chill is another reason they don't flower the next spring.

---------- Post added at 11:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:06 AM ----------

After I wrote the above I got a message about a video on growing Dendrobiums in Florida, USA. I posted a link to that video in another thread. You might find the video interesting; the first part of the video covers exactly the kind of Dendrobium you have. Of course he is talking about Florida, but you can apply the information to your growing conditions.