Little Lost - Losing Leaves

[MJSK]

I have added several new Dendrobiums to my orchid collect this year. I ended up repotting most of them and there was some leaf loss. I think your dendrobiums go deciduous, so leaf lose will happen anyway. One of my new Dens is a Dendrobim x usitea which is a natural cross between Den. bullenianum and Den. goldsmidtianum. I have lose several leaves and there are many yellowing leaves on the larger canes. There are some new canes growing which have not been affected. According to descriptive information I read about this plant, if it is kept 'warm' it will not go deciduous. I haven't had this plant for a year yet, so it has basically been kept warm so far, but it does get cool in the winter in the sunroom where I have the plant growing. I guess our dendrobiums are 'pouting' as White Rabbit suggested.

[Bud]

Both of them dont need any rest periods....they both bloom many times a year....they wil shed leaves if dehydrated; but do not cut the canes=you may still get blooms from it in the next cycle....they must maintain constant humidity and water when about to be dry; never let it go completely dry....the bright south window is fine but take advantage of the hot and humid east coast outdoors in a bright shade or under a tree....it must also taste summer rains....fertilizer weakly weekly....
I mounted my reginae in a basket and let it lay pendulous instead of upright....notice the thin stems near the roots and the heavy top bulbs and leaves weighing it down...

[kmccormic]

Hi Bud!

I really don't want to take a risk with bugs again. I have active ants farming aphids all over the garden outside. And I know myself, I'd forget them for weeks at a time if they aren't in my face.

I had been getting damp (not moist or wet) skewer tests when I rewatered. With rooting hormone, I was hoping to see some new root development by now, but I'm not.

I think the problem is culture. Would you suggest going all-lecca with a dish of water at the bottom, passive hydro, or should I try repotting into pure or mostly sphagnum? I did find some medium size coconut husk, maybe husk and sphagnum?

[WhiteRabbit]

How did the roots look when this was repotted? Sounds like your watering should be ok. New roots will only come on new growth.

[kmccormic]

The lawesii's roots looked ok, but I didn't think to take a snapshot of them. They have always been string thin root structures on the lawesii. I didn't have to do much trimming with it. I did take a shot of the victotriac's roots after I trimmed them.

[Leafmite]

I don't grow these particular dens but I grow a variety, some hard cane, some soft cane, and some I'm not certain about. Mine are grown in either vanda baskets or net pots with lava rock as a medium. When they are getting new growths, all are given plenty of water and fertilizer, some always sitting in water, depending on the type. They are all outside, we have been having very hot, dry weather and they are all doing well.
As for ants, if you use baskets or plastic net pots, hang them with metal hangers and put a glob of dish soap along each wire. Ants hate the dish soap. Put a new glob after each rain.

[Leafmite]

And yes, some of my dens do not take repotting well at all. : (

[kmccormic]

Well, I took a chance and unpotted them. Roots looked the same, no new root growth though. I repotted in sphagnum moss. We'll see if they prefer that or if they will crash and burn.

[WhiteRabbit]

Let us know how it goes! I'm out of ideas if the roots look good.

[kmccormic]

Well, I'm not sure on the roots. They _seemed_ ok. Definitely not worse than they were. When the roots are so small, it's hard to tell if they are "spongy" or "mushy bad." I'll post an update as things progress.