My Start With Dendrobiums

[junglequeen]

I came home from my neighbour's place with a strange plant in a paint bucket. I'd always admired it and now he's clearing out. It jam packed the paint bucket, with more plant growing out of a split in one side. Puzzling over what it might be, I left it to soak overnight, and it suddenly struck me that this could be an orchid. The name Dendrobium came to mind, probably because of a similarity to our native Earina autumnalis (which of course is not a Dendrobium).

Next morning I managed to extricate the plant from the bucket. Ir was growing in some dark, gritty soil. I took a handsaw, unceremoniously cut it into three, and planted them in a mix of pumice and my special aged (10 years) goat dung/hay mix, disturbing the roots as little as possible.

Then I found and joined Orchid Board. Now I wonder what I've done. Please feel free to berate me. It's a noid, so it probably doesn't matter, but I'd like it to survive (thanks to this plant, I've got going in orchids again).

This happened 2 weeks ago, and the plants don't look like dying yet. I was withholding water for fear of roots rotting, but they seem to need it, and look the better for a good soaking yesterday.

Any advice most welcome.
Patricia



Height of canes : 9-12".