Dendrobium Winter Care

[Clawhammer]

I am wondering if there is a Winter Care database/spreadsheet/list for dendrobium species that require a dry or cool winter (or both)? I am compiling a spreadsheet for my dens to guide next year's winter care, and I thought it would be prudent to see if anything like this exists first before trying to create it myself for my 44 dens.

If there isn't a database or spreadsheet available, recommendations on where to find the information would be really appreciated.

Thanks!

[rbarata]

I think nobiles fit into what you've mentioned.
No need for a spreadsheet...as soon the new growths appear, usually in spring, water abundantly with fertilizer. In august stop the fert and keep watering until autumn when you must reduce the watering to the min amounr possible.
Then the cycle begins again...

[Clawhammer]

Originally Posted by rbarata

I think nobiles fit into what you've mentioned.
No need for a spreadsheet...as soon the new growths appear, usually in spring, water abundantly with fertilizer. In august stop the fert and keep watering until autumn when you must reduce the watering to the min amounr possible.
Then the cycle begins again...

I need a spreadsheet to know which ones to decrease water to, which ones to give no water, which ones need cool treatment, which ones I need to move to my winter greenhouse for cold treatment, etc. Nobiles, aussies, deciduous hard canes, etc all need special treatment. I have others that don't (latouria, den phals, spatulae etc).

[Lil Duck]

Check the sticky threads at the top of the Dendrobium page, they aren't perfect and overgeneralize the different groups but they are useful in getting to know the general care of the different groups.

[Roberta]

There likely isn't a single spreadsheet around. A big consideration is habitat. Those the come from higher elevations and higher (temperate) latitudes likely experience significant seasonal variation. (cold, reduced rain) Pretty much none of them experience totally cessation of water, at least not for very long - they come from areas with significant humidity, so when it gets chilly they get dew. (I learned that the hard way... "dry" where i live is a lot drier than "dry" where the species originate). Some are more or less deciduous, but some keep leaves. It would be interesting to see if that group correlates with higher elevation at tropical latitudes or lower elevation at higher (temperate) latitudes (like the Aussie Dens). Don't know the answer. Since I don't dry anything particularly but they get a significant chill can't advise on specifics since my conditions are so different from yours.

The ones from tropical latitudes and low elevation don't have much a seasonal variation - it's always warm and rather wet.

But using this approach - "Where do they come from and what do they experience there?" - you likely can come up with a pattern that you can use to fine-tune your approach for the different plants. They will mostly group by sections, but not entirely.

[Clawhammer]

Originally Posted by Roberta

There likely isn't a single spreadsheet around. A big consideration is habitat. Those the come from higher elevations and higher (temperate) latitudes likely experience significant seasonal variation. (cold, reduced rain) Pretty much none of them experience totally cessation of water, at least not for very long - they come from areas with significant humidity, so when it gets chilly they get dew. (I learned that the hard way... "dry" where i live is a lot drier than "dry" where the species originate). Some are more or less deciduous, but some keep leaves. It would be interesting to see if that group correlates with higher elevation at tropical latitudes or lower elevation at higher (temperate) latitudes (like the Aussie Dens). Don't know the answer. Since I don't dry anything particularly but they get a significant chill can't advise on specifics since my conditions are so different from yours.

The ones from tropical latitudes and low elevation don't have much a seasonal variation - it's always warm and rather wet.

But using this approach - "Where do they come from and what do they experience there?" - you likely can come up with a pattern that you can use to fine-tune your approach for the different plants. They will mostly group by sections, but not entirely.

Thanks Roberta. I will try to add elevation and latitude to my spreadsheet. I actually did pretty good with my winter treatments this year, bloomed a few things for the first time that had not flowered for me before. I am just trying to make it less confusing when November 2023 rolls around.

I will share my spreadsheet here when I'm done in case anyone is interested.

You should see my rhododendron spreadsheet (I have 100+ rhodies in containers, some hardy, some not as hardy). Many rhodies are actually epiphytes.

[Roberta]

There's a bunch of Dens that come from SE Asia mid-high elevation/south central China/Himalaya that all get pretty much the same conditions (winter cool, high light, damp but not soggy to dry-ish) that make a natural grouping, if you have those.

[Clawhammer]

Originally Posted by Roberta

There's a bunch of Dens that come from SE Asia mid-high elevation/south central China/Himalaya that all get pretty much the same conditions (winter cool, high light, damp but not soggy to dry-ish) that make a natural grouping, if you have those.

I have a bunch of those (unicum, lamyiae, draconis, heterocarpum, monofiliorme, dickasonii, cretaceum, parishii, anosmum). Some of my favorites

[Roberta]

Especially the mounted ones really don't need to dry out particularly. I learned that lesson wandering around Andy's shadehouses. The Dens are mixed in with the general population of species that want similar temperature conditions, there's no way of separating those from the rest, so they get watered and fertilized the same as their "companions". (I'm sure he waters and fertilizes somewhat less in winter, but that's because it's cool and more humid and things just don't dry as fast and aren't growing as much) They do have overhead protection, though., And they drop leaves when appropriate and bloom quite well. (They do get cool, I have to believe that is the trigger rather than the water or lack of it) The Aussie Dens don't even get overhead protection for the most part- This year especially, they got rained on a lot. (Mine got drenched, and bloomed particularly well)

[Clawhammer]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Especially the mounted ones really don't need to dry out particularly. I learned that lesson wandering around Andy's shadehouses. The Dens are mixed in with the general population of species that want similar temperature conditions, there's no way of separating those from the rest, so they get watered and fertilized the same as their "companions". (I'm sure he waters and fertilizes somewhat less in winter, but that's because it's cool and more humid and things just don't dry as fast and aren't growing as much) And they drop leaves when appropriate and bloom quite well. (They do get cool, I have to believe that is the trigger rather than the water or lack of it)

Great point, I will take potting media / mounting into consideration as I have both Sure wish I could just leave em outside like y'all!