Rest period

[GregorK]

hello

i was suggested to start a new thread so here we go

I have some questions about rest periodes of some orchids i just bought.
what is the suitable temperature for them when they are in the rest period and water requirements? What hapens if the temperatures are too high?
If this was already answered on this forum please redirect me there . but i do want to know more about these i just bought

the orchids are:
Blc. Beauty Girl Kendolie Lily (mature plant, it has two new growths at the moment)

Cattleya aclandiae (mature, mounted, also new growth)
Laelia purpurata var. werkhauseri (young plant, it will need 2 more years to flower)
Laelia tenebrosa ( mature plant. also has new growth)

Thank you for your answers in advance!
best regards
Gregor

[james mickelso]

General rule of thumb. Repot in spring when new growth has started and rest after flowering and in winter. The new growth needs watering of the older pseudo bulbs which are feeding these new growths as they probably at this stage of their development have no roots of their own. The orchids you have there will rest after they finish growing the new pbulbs, after flowering, or when the temps drop below 60*f day temps. We'll call it fall in Slovenia. Around October. Then cut back on the watering quite a bit. Every two weeks when temps go below 50*f.

[Leafmite]

I have been growing an aclandiae seedling for a few years and it is said to bloom twice a year. It puts out a new growth twice a year, one during the winter. I have it bare-root mounted on cork and I just water as normal (I need to remember to fertilize it this year).
Purpurata is also a seedling (I usually buy tiny seedlings) and it grows year round for me, putting out new growths as soon as the old ones mature. I have this in a basket pot and lava rock and water with the other cattleyas.
The ones I will need to watch are C. schroederae, C. dowiana, and the C. mossiae.

[Orchidflowerchild]

I don't follow rigid schedules with the orchids, on repotting. I just repot when a plant is cramped in the pot and the new growth starts to break roots. That does mean I tend to be repotting a few plants at a time all growing season long, when my collection is up to size, but that way each plant hits the new pot and any damaged roots are quickly supplanted by new root growth. That is for seedlings. Once my plants start to get into the 4" pot range I switch from fine-ish treefern or bark mix in plastic pots to mostly inert media and clay pots or well drained plastic and then just pot up after that so as soon as the plant starts getting to the point where the new growth is hanging over the edge, those new roots go into the new media in the space between pots.

With inert media and potting on like that, if I want to divide a plant I can let the new lead hang over the edge for year or two until I have a healthy front division, then when the main plant starts growing again, you start to get branching and can really start filling those nested pots up. I have a C. percivaliana now that lost a front lead to sunburn and has branched toward the front and the back so it is well on the way to becoming a multi-lead specimen.

-Ceci

[GregorK]

thank you for you'r answers ! this tips are great!

So if i understand well i just have to observe. when there is new growth they need a lot of water. when the growth stops. a liitle bit of rest, and i water sparingly. The same is after they stop flowering.

In fall when the temperatures drop, comes the rest period. I water twice a week.
I think the problem is that i have it in my room on the windowsill. and in the winter i turn on the radiator ofcourse. dont want to freeze in my own room. It is arround 23˘C most of the time. will this disturbe them?.
I just can't put theme anywhere else.

regards
Gregor

[silken]

Some orchids such as Nobile Dendrobiums and some Cymbidiums need a cool and usually fairly dry winter rest in order to bloom. But many hybrid Cattleyas and some species do not or even require fairly warm conditions year round whereas others prefer a much cooler winter. When any plant is grown quite cool, it is usually necessary to reduce watering since cold and wet equals root rot. That is part of the reason for reducing watering in winter. However for some orchids, it hardens off the mature pseudobulb which is a process that gets it ready to produce flowers.

There are many orchid growers who grow in their homes under lights so conditions don't change a lot from summer to winter in a heated house.
According to OrchidWiz, the C. aclandiae, L. tenebrosa and L. purpurata all have slightly cooler winter temps but not by much. And the purpurata in nature gets a fair bit of water in winter. But if it is cool it should be less.

It's hard to have a specific rule for them as some species have quite different requirements. Also in nature they don't get pampered so the way they grow in nature might not need to apply in cultivation. Mine all have to grow in the greenhouse where it gets to the mid 90's some summer days and is heated to 65F in the winter and 55F at night. For the real heat loving plants that would suffer in the cold winter, I set them on heat mats to help warm their roots and boost the temp around them.

So you may have to experiment a bit with your own conditions and judge by how plump the new pseudobulb is remaining and that the leaves are nice and firm as to how happy they are.

[james mickelso]

Remember that it isn't just the temps that determine rest but light levels. In winter in Slovenia it is dark early and mornings stay dim until around 8am. This tells the plant that it is winter and they naturally rest. So it is the combination of cool temps and low light levels. These can be manipulated but I feel to the detriment of the plant. Late growing pseudo bulbs don't always produce flowers or at best flowers of good quality. It is best just to watch and learn when your plants grow and flower. Any time you want help, just post pictures here and we will be glad to help you determine what your plants need at that time.

[GregorK]

WoW!

I got some realy nice tips from you guys
Thanks a lot! I know it's hard to tell since every orchid is so different from the other.
i will post some pictures for sure!
Until then.... i will observe carefully

best regards!
Gregor