Newly arrived orchids. What should I do?

[Zindaginha]

Hi! I am totally, completely new at orchids.

I just opened a package with the following:

1. mounted eria pannea
2. mounted sophronitis cernua
3. Potted (or just bareroot, really, since no medium at all) dendrobium reflexitepalum

They all seem healthy and minimally disprupted by their travels. Except that the sophonitis' roots seem slightly flattened (still white, though, so maybe that's just the shape or something?).

These are my questions, since I want to make sure that I start things off right:

1. Sophronitis like light, so should I just stick them with my light-loving broms and carnivores by the east-facing window with the supplemental T5 light? (My nepenthes set-up, sincd they are the most demanding. The rest of the plants just go along) Or would this be shocking after being in a box for two days?

2. Sophronitis don't do winter dormancy, so I should go ahead and soak this guy right away and get it started on a regular watering schedule? Or should I gradually strt doing this?

3. What should I do to rpepare the Dendro for dormancy and should I still go ahead and give it a drink right now? It is large with dark, firm leaves so doen't look anywhere near dormancy.

4. Eria Pannea grows everywhere for its natural habitat--so does it need a dormancy?

Basically, the dormancy thing is throwing me off. I'm familiar with how to deal with it in succulents and know what to look for in carnivores, so I wasn't even thinking about it, but now I'm completely panicking.

Gah! Help, please!

And thanks!

PS: panic aside, I am sooooooo excited and wowed by these things!

[Roberta]

Welcome! First, where do you live? Sounds like you'll be growing indoors, at least for now. The environment of your carnivorous plants should work well for the orchids as well.

When you get plants mail-order, they need a day or two to adjust to the light, but since they are indoors, it's pretty subdued anyway so no problem.

The Sophronitis should do fine where you're putting it. Light bright but not direct.

I looked up that Den, and that type doesn't go dormant. I'd grow it either in a basket or mounted. (looks like it is related to Den. anceps, which I grow in a basket, and Den. aloifolium which I grow mounted totally bare root. Needs humidity, and an opportunity to dry out between waterings, but definitely regular watering. It may want a little less light than the Sophronitis so place accordingly.

Eria pannea should also want water all year. (Looked this one up... it is REALLY cute... I think I need one!)

None of these come from climates that have a very dry period. The wet-dry cycle is vital for all (hence mounting or baskets with open media) .

A terrific reference for species is the Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia The icons are not accurate, but the text will tell you a lot about the habitat.

[plantzzzzz]

Sophronitis like it pretty bright. Peter T. Lin's article has records of them flourishing in full sun.

Of course, what "full sun" entails will depend on where you are located.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by plantzzzzz

Sophronitis like it pretty bright. Peter T. Lin's article has records of them flourishing in full sun.

Of course, what "full sun" entails will depend on where you are located.

They may grow that way in nature, but Peter doesn't grow them in full sun at his house... more likely in a cool/intermediate greenhouse with shading,or possibly an outdoor shadehouse.

I grow mine in more like dappled sun or bright shade. I live only about an hour away from Andy's Orchids, and also coastal. Where Andy says "full sun", I have learned the hard way to be gentler. His nursery doesn't have "full sun" all day (lots of big trees), my yard does in summer. Duration is part of it as well. And if brighter light is desired, do it gradually. I have toasted plenty of leaves in March when the sun suddenly clears the house and other obstacles. I think the setup that OP has (window light plus supplemental light) sounds perfect.

[Paul]

The OP mentioned in their other post that they are a grad student in Oregon. Based on that, I would imagine their "full sun" will be likely be weaker than Roberta's plants would experience and vary more widely season to season.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Paul

The OP mentioned in their other post that they are a grad student in Oregon. Based on that, I would imagine their "full sun" will be likely be weaker than Roberta's plants would experience and vary more widely season to season.

Very true. But the OP also indicated that they have a light set-up, and successful carnivorous plants. So I think that there will be plenty of light for the Sophronitis. They do grow shadier than their Cattleya cousins. (One of the many things I hate about lumping them into Cattleya is that they have significantly different needs than the bigger Catts.)

[Zindaginha]

Wow, thanks Paul, Plantzzz and Roberta!

I did not expect such quick or thorough responses. How wonderful.

I did check out the IOSPE page on the species and it didn't mention dormancy for the Dep. I also felt like there wasn't a lot of detail on any of these species--ANYWHERE online--and that some places gave contradictory info. The short explanations of care, no mention of dormancy (I'm used to pings and sundews where the question of dormancy is often directly address in the store description), so I just wasn't sure what to do. But reading your responses I now feel a little clearer.

Roberta: I am in Oregon, in the Willamette Valley, and our sunlight IS quite "difuse". I also have a smallish grow light set-up, though am potentially interested in expanding it. It's just worked well so far for my CPs and succulents, that I'm not super eager to change things.

I ended up giving all three a one minute soak in distilled water (since it was evening, I didn't want to overdo it) and letting them air dry. I then placed the Dep under my light (at a distance of 8"), which ran for maybe 30 more minutes before turning off. I will move this after reading what you wrote, Roberta. The sophronitis and eria are hanging on a bromelliad wall that is above the light, but gets some reflection from it, and is also facing the eastern window. I like having the orchids in this spot because I can run a humidifier there and also set up a small fan, if needed. But I also have a hallway that has a sky light and the orchids are all small enough that they could live there. I currently have tillandsias, hoyas and a euphorbia mamillaria growing around the sky light, so there are lots of different light options. The area, being a hallway and in the center of the house but without any heating vents, so it has good air circulation (part of my tillandsia dispay includes lichens and moss that continue to grow about six months after being stuck here, so I assume the air circulation is pretty great) and is warm but not dry. HOWEVER, it's still probably no higher than 40% and there is no way to set up a humidifier there without building something creative.

The grow table is more likely to provide better humidity needs--and a longer photoperiod, since we are so far north--but the hallway may provide better quality light. What matters more?

Thanks again for your responses, everyone! When I made the decision to buy these plants, I definitely felt like this would be a challenge and I'd need to look up lots of stuff, but I didn't realize how hard finding information on certain species would be. I also, after feeling like I have a fairly broad if not deep understanding of plants, didn't expect to find myself feeling like I have no idea what these things want or how to read them. Physically holding them in my hands was exciting and also kind of terrifying! I don't speak orchid! But I feel better knowing that I can ask a question and get some answers. Thanks!

[Roberta]

In general, I'd lean toward longer duration of light rather than brighter, especially if it goes with better humidity since indoor heating dries things out.

And welcome to a lifetime of learning. Orchids really are a different creature than most plants. But endlessly interesting. Observe your plants, and then you can make changes to conditions as needed. They're subtle, tend to not indicate distress until it is severe, and grow slowly. So the feedback loop is measured in months not days. There really is not a lot of detailed information on line. It's well worth subscribing to the publications of an orchid organization or two. American Orchid Society, Orchid Digest are very good. I also like Orchid Review of the Royal Horticultural Society in the UK a lot. There is probably an orchid society in your area. (I'm familiar with the two in Portland, don't know what is in your environs but there probably is one)

The info at the species level that you'll find on orchids.com does contain a lot of what you need to know, but needs the habitat knowledge to make sense of it. First, epiphytes (grow on trees) and lithophytes (grow on rocks with roots in crevices) need excellent drainage. This is the majority. Terrestrials grow in the ground, typically like "wet". Elevation combined with latitude gives a clue about temperature needs. It's overwhelming at first, but highly addictive as you get into it . Feel free to ask about each species - culture info at the genus level is pretty useless, especially with a huge and varied genus like Dendrobium. I do have Orchidwiz, a database program that includes culture info for a lot of these things. Once you get seriously into the hobby, it's a superb reference. On the pricey side, so for now better to pick the brains of the members of the forum. Good growing!

---------- Post added at 08:19 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:57 AM ----------

Don't stress too much about dormancy... there is really only one group of orchids, the Catasetinae (Catasetum, Mormodes, Cycnoches, Clowesia and combinations thereof) that need a strict period of no water. And the plants tell you that by dropping all of their leaves. Some of the Dendrobiums need a major reduction in water to bloom, but again most will tell you by dropping leaves. For the minis, especially mounted ones, even those aren't picky because they dry out so fast.

---------- Post added at 10:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:19 AM ----------

One more hint about that Dendrobium... some leaf loss is normal. The flowers are very likely to appear on the bare or semi-bare canes so don't cut anything that isn't dry, shriveled, and brittle. They're very much alive even without leaves.

[Zindaginha]

Thanks so much, Roberta!

I'll definitely look into joining a society of some sort, but really you giving me this run-down. Definitely good info on dormancy, too! My panic has subsided for now.

[Leafmite]

Good luck with orchids. With what you are growing, I think you will adjust easily to orchids. I agree that 'full sun' for other plants is not the same as 'full sun' for orchids. I am not sure why orchids have different guidelines from other plants concerning lighting but there it is. The other adjustment I had to make when I started to grow orchids was that many of them grow bare root or have their roots in very loose/shallow 'medium' where there is plenty of air-exposure which is so different from nearly anything else I have ever grown. Otherwise, starting orchids is just like starting any other new type of plant....

Vendors are often a good source for information, too. I always try to find information on my own but, sometimes, the advice can be conflicting or confusing so I contact the vendor. I am most grateful to Andy from Andy's Orchids for advising me on how to care for someone else's orchid from a 'group order' that I did not want to kill as I had to keep it for nearly a month before the next orchid society meeting. It is doing very well to this day for the recipient. I cannot think of any vendor who has not been helpful when I have asked them for advice on growing an orchid or other plant.