Deciduous Dends?

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by blackorchid

Do they need high light during dormancy to 'ripen' the growth or is this just a myth. I can't provide high light in the middle of winter lol...

Myth. Two winters ago I gave my ansomum dark conditions and this past winter I gave it bright conditions. I got great blooms from both seasons.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by isurus79

I believe it was Mauro (Rosim in BR) who does not stop watering his mature plants completely like most people do. Rather (please correct me if Im wrong!) he says his ansosmum spikes just fine with cold weather as the trigger.

I can't speak to Mauro's regimen, but I tried that with mine and I got zero buds. My only regimen is zero water and zero fertilizer during the "sleep" period . Ever since I went with this I have gotten 100% bloom and I'll never change. Just my 2 cents. Remember my last bloom?

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by Ross

I can't speak to Mauro's regimen, but I tried that with mine and I got zero buds. My only regimen is zero water and zero fertilizer during the "sleep" period . Ever since I went with this I have gotten 100% bloom and I'll never change. Just my 2 cents. Remember my last bloom?

I forgot to add that I dry the cr@p out of mine during the winter, like Ross! I dont have the bulbs or the low temps to try and risk a years worth of blooms with a new technique either!

[pheli]

Originally Posted by blackorchid

Do they need high light during dormancy to 'ripen' the growth or is this just a myth. I can't provide high light in the middle of winter lol...

Winter is the brightest season of a year in most deciduous dendrobiums' inhabitats but not all of them needed intense sunlight. Take Dend. moniliforme for example, it is from subtropical or temperate high lands which usually are cover with deciduous forests but in winter, it is usually cloudy and usually misty in the afternoon. So the sun exposure of the species is not as much as what we might think.
But for some species that grows high in trees or from tropical highlands, high level exposure seems more important for flowering.

[blackorchid]

But why do they need sun light for if they don't have any leaves left....I have to agree with Steve and Ross on this....sorry I pulled out this topic from last year....lol

[Rosim_in_BR]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Im with Gin on this one. None of my seedlings (from any genus) pay any attention to seasonality if you keep watering them. I would keep watering it through the winter if you get a new growth. Keep it warm too. Cold weather is the main decider of dormancy. In fact, I believe it was Mauro (Rosim in BR) who does not stop watering his mature plants completely like most people do. Rather (please correct me if Im wrong!) he says his ansosmum spikes just fine with cold weather as the trigger.

Yes, Steve, I don't completely stop watering during the rest period, especially the seedlings. Never had any trouble with my Dends not flowering. Apparently, it is not the dryness or the light that triggers the flowering, but the temperatures. There are several commercial Dendrobium growers here that never stop watering or feeding, but at the right time they take their plants to greenhouses located at the top of mountains where the temperatures are colder. This seems to work good enough to initiate budding. Their plants are always healthy, sturdy, full of flowers and holding all their leaves. A similar thing Phalaenopsis commercial producers use to trigger the flowering process - they keep their plants under a warm, constant temperature, then give a sudden drop that is kept for three or four weeks. This is enough to ignite the flowering process in Phalaenopsis no matter the time of the year - that's why we have Phal flowers the year round. Phals seem to answer very well to the temperature control, but the same control, to the point of making Dendrobium nobile flower when you want, seems not to be possible up to now. But, taking into account the experience mentioned above, it seems that you can keep watering and feeding and then give a sudden drop in the temperature at the right time and have the plants flowering without any trouble.

Originally Posted by blackorchid

But why do they need sun light for if they don't have any leaves left....I have to agree with Steve and Ross on this....sorry I pulled out this topic from last year....lol

Hey, Blackorchid, it's an interesting question! They don't have any leaves, but they still have green parts and these green parts continue to do the photosynthesis, in a lower level than when they have all the leaves, I agree. When they are resting their metabolic needs are lowered, but don't cease at all and the help comes from the remaining green parts .

[dgenovese1]

Thanks to everyone for input to this thread...Mostly to Gin for starting it.

I've got a few blooming size deciduous dendrobs that failed to bloom for me this past year, and a few seedling/near blooming size plants. I now have a much better understanding of how to care for them, and feel I've got a much better chance of blooms next spring.

[blackorchid]

About the particular Den. anosmum, the cane is covered with papery sheath. Does that mean it doesn't need sun light? So far, temperature and dryness are the two critical aspect for next year flowering; sunlight....maybe not neccessary for this species. Am I right...?

[Weebl]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Myth. Two winters ago I gave my ansomum dark conditions and this past winter I gave it bright conditions. I got great blooms from both seasons.

So far, experience shows light has no factor in blooming deciduous dendrobiums.

I just acquired 2 nobile hybrids at Orchidfest, and aside from a Den. Super Ise 'Pearl' I bought only 8 months ago, I was curious about with holding water. I'll hopefully find out if my temp drops will suffice or if I'll just get 300 baby nobile hybrids.

[Ross]

Mine came from a vendor in Florida. They said to totally withhold all water. Why not give it a try? What have you got to lose but one season's growth? I keep mine in south window, only because that is its home. No other reason. I don't need keikis, I want flowers.