Winter "rest" is a matter of degree... reduced water, and no fertilizer, is reasonable. But "no water" is too severe. Dropping leaves this time of year is normal - the species blooms on the bare canes of the previous year while starting new growth. (Don't cut bare canes until they are shriveled up to almost nothing... firm bare canes are very much alive, and that's where the flowers happen) So you want it to be damp, or cycle between damp and dryish. I don't think you want to get the sphagnum bone dry - then it is hard to re-wet. Also, if you can keep it somewhat cool, that will also help it to "think about blooming" in spring. Near a window, as bright as possible, is a good combination.
Think about what happens in its native habitat in northern India, southwest China, and southeast Asia... In summer there are monsoonal rains, which wash down detritus from the canopy to provide fertilizer-type nutrients. It does its rapid growth, with lots of water, and a steady supply of nutrients. Then, in winter, the rain pretty much stops. Temperatures drop. But it is still humid, and there is morning dew - so it never completely dries for very long. Also, with less cloud cover, the amount of light is greater than in the cloudy, rainy summer. So... reduced water but still some. (Damp, not sopping wet) Cool and bright, like near a window.
If you want to do more research, if you look it up as Den. aphyllum (currently accepted name) you may find more info.
Just for the record, I don't dry out my deciduous Dendrobiums at all, they get watered along with everything else. (Climate is pretty dry, "rain" mostly comes out of a hose) I live in a frost-free area where I can grow them outside... they DO get chilly. And the cold (along with shorter day length) seems to be what they need, they bloom.
Last edited by Roberta; 12-06-2024 at 01:47 AM..
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