Den. Spring Doll "Sweetheart" HCC/ADS - Orchid Board

denvervet · #1 10-06-2012, 04:15 PM

I have a nicely growing and healthy Den. Spring Doll 'Sweetheart' HCC/ADS orchid. I got it about 18 months ago at an orchid club meeting. It grows nicely in this NE window getting sun for about 1.5 hours a day and bright light after that. Sometimes it droops and I am thinking of changing the growing medium. Its in a mixture of large bark, sphagnum moss, charcoal and clay balls. I live in a very dry climate. Maybe because it was so disgustingly hot here in Denver this Summer or maybe I am doing something wrong, but it has not flowered since I bought it. Any suggestions? It has a white flower according to the seller.

denvervet · #2 10-07-2012, 12:55 PM

Well, I pulled this den out of its pot today. I could not believe all the roots it had. All were healthy too! I repotted it in a mixture of large, medium bark, clay balls, charcoal. Pic of roots attached

WhiteRabbit · #3 10-07-2012, 02:54 PM

looks good

my thoughts on lack of blooms would be not enough light and/or lack of proper winter rest (as well as dryish and bright, should be grown cool)...

denvervet · #4 10-07-2012, 06:25 PM

I am going to move it, but not until it gets use to its new potting medium. Not really sure where to move it too. I am thinking eastly and westerly windows might have too much sun? My westerly ones dont get as much as the east ones, so maybe there? I have sheers which I could place behind the plant.

WhiteRabbit · #5 10-07-2012, 08:40 PM

I think mobile type like some bright sun, in winter at least. I only have one, so I'm definitely no expert... Hopefully others will chime in.

Vanda lover · #6 10-07-2012, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

looks good

my thoughts on lack of blooms would be not enough light and/or lack of proper winter rest (as well as dryish and bright, should be grown cool)...

I completely agree with this. I have one that someone sold me at a show. She told me it needed no rest. I gave up waiting for it to bloom and now in the fall I try to keep it cool and protected from frost, with lots of light. I keep it in the coolest brightest window for the winter with no fertilizer, little water with as much light as possible. [the light part is tricky here in the rain forest]

denvervet · #7 10-08-2012, 11:47 AM

Thank you folks for your ideas. I also think that the temperatures here in Denver were so hot and dry this Summer it may have kept my orchids from blooming. We had almost no rain and the room I have these orchids in got to be about 93 every day with fans running. I have a loft condo downtown and I can't see running a/c for the whole place for one person so I only use it in the bedroom. I am also in a historic building and we are not allowed to have any NW window for the winter and not water her as much, the window will also give her a cool down period. I must say I was impressed with the health of the roots when I took it out of the old pot, not one was dead. I have had to research and all of my orchids this past weekend and many were moved, I don't like moving them but I feel I made some good moves.

denvervet · #8 01-02-2013, 02:19 PM

I moved this orchid as directed, its grown nicely but no blooms. What time of year is it supposed to bloom? I noticed this Fall that it is really reaching for the sun, it only gets about an hour in the AM. I am thinking its not getting enough sun? She is not in a cool place and I havev not done a winter rest as the plant looks so droopy and sick when dry and it dries out FAST here in Denver with no humidity and very hot sun. Here is a pic of her reaching for the sun. I can move it to a cold easterly window and maybe put a sheer curtain in front of it, it would get too much sun otherwise.

silken · #9 01-02-2013, 10:11 PM

This hybrid has 25% nobile and others species in it that need a cool dry rest in winter. I'm no expert on them but I have 5 or 6 nobiles. I grow them bright and warm in summer. They are in my greenhouse which gets in the mid or high 90's often so I don't think heat is the problem. I give them a good balanced fertilizer from spring thru early summer and water them quite often to keep their canes from shriveling. By mid summer I start giving a bit of bloom booster in their water rather than balanced fert. By Aug I quit feeding altogether and in fall begin reducing the water and giving them quite cool temps (55F at night). I keep them on a cool bright windowsill in the greenhouse thru our cold winters. In early or mid winter they start to grow spikes. You really have to keep the watering eliminated or very minimal or these growths will turn into keikis instead of blooms. Right now I have 4 of mine in bud. When buds become evident, increase watering a bit to feed the buds. Once they are done blooming you begin the cycle again. These really seem to need to be cooled and not fed or watered in winter in order to bloom. Yours isn't a pure nobile dendrobium so others who grow that one might have other tips for this particular hybrid.

Vanda lover · #10 01-03-2013, 02:16 AM

That sounds pretty close to the way I grow mine except that my greenhouse isn't heated, so I try to give them the coolest, brightest windowsill in the basement. It can be a problem in a heated house.