Dendrobium nobile hybrids blooming early

[NYCorchidman]

Originally Posted by silken

My nobiles are fragrant and they are Yamamoto hybrids.

Mine live in the greenhouse in the summer and winter. Summers I struggle to keep temps below 90F and winters are 65 day and 55 at night. Last year the nobiles were on the windowsill where it had to be very much cooler, without freezing. I get a few blooms but never excess amounts. Since I have 150 orchids, maybe these are a tad neglected-I don't know. My 2 Cyms are in full spike but they actually begin spike in the fall before I even bring them in. Maybe I should keep the nobiles outside in fall with them.

Your temperature range is great.
Try good watering, cooler temp (Yamamoto website recommends minimum night low of about 58, so you are just below. lower the better, trust me!)
Yes, leave them out until the first frost, by then you should see many little spikes sprouting out. Reduce water when it is very cold enough to have frost outside, but they will be fine as long as kept really really dry. Then bring them in the greenhouse where it is 55 ish. Bringing them home where it is much warmer than outside can blast all the buds.

---------- Post added at 01:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:56 PM ----------

Originally Posted by silken

I think they like a fair bit of water in summer. Our humidity is usually low here too. Maybe that is my problem, not enough water in summer. I keep trying! I think you should try some as they are lovely when in bloom and last quite a while.

Water water water!!! I cannot emphasize that enough!
Any living thing is mostly water. When things are increasing in size, it's all water.

Nobiles have very short and distict growth season.
You want to water them almost every day unless it is in straight moss that does not dry out in a day.
Different varieties fatten up the new cane at different times, but by ample watering while the plant is in active growth, you don't have to guess when that time is.

Once you see the top end with no leaf or terminal leaf and the new cane is very plump in the late summer or early fall, then you can start watering less, but never dry.

---------- Post added at 01:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:00 PM ----------

Originally Posted by ron-in-norcal

NYC, thanks for all the tips, they're very helpful!

My pleasure!

Not all of them are fragrant, but almost all of them are.
Some are more strongly scented than others.
It is mostly sweet honey with slight citrus kick depending on the variety. Some has slight musky hint to it as well, but mostly just sweet and nice.

Of the ones I have grown, my favorite fragrance are from
Oriental Smile 'Fantasy' (sweet and citrusy), Love Memory 'Fizz' (Fancy Angel Lycee, Spring Dream all have the same scent, so pick one based the color you like as they all smell the same and nice, sweet floral scent), Red Emperor 'Prince' (this one I can't describe but it is different in a good way)

Yellow Song 'Canary' can be very fragrant depending on the plant if you get lucky.

[ron-in-norcal]

Thanks, Silken, I'll order some and try them out. I think where I live just east of San Diego should be good. Summers are warm, winters are cool, but most winters do not reach freezing (though they come close). Probably have to water them more in summer due to the low humidity, etc.

[silken]

Originally Posted by ron-in-norcal

Thanks, Silken, I'll order some and try them out. I think where I live just east of San Diego should be good. Summers are warm, winters are cool, but most winters do not reach freezing (though they come close). Probably have to water them more in summer due to the low humidity, etc.

I think they like a fair bit of water in summer. Our humidity is usually low here too. Maybe that is my problem, not enough water in summer. I keep trying! I think you should try some as they are lovely when in bloom and last quite a while.

[ron-in-norcal]

Yes, I'm trying to limit what I buy, and am right now looking at 5. I was trying to limit it to 3, but then keep seeing more that I want!

[ron-in-norcal]

NYC, thanks for all the tips, they're very helpful!

[ron-in-norcal]

I managed to reduce my order to just 4 nobiles: Yellow Paney 'March', Comet Kin "Akatsuki', Fancy Angel 'Lycée' and Sea Mary 'Snow King'. It's been so many years since I had any of these, and I wasn't that diligent with them back then. So, hopefully these will work well!

[NYCorchidman]

Good selection!

[silken]

I forgot, I have Comet King 'Akatsuki' as well but it hasn't bloomed for me.

[NYCorchidman]

Originally Posted by silken

I forgot, I have Comet King 'Akatsuki' as well but it hasn't bloomed for me.

That is a beautiful variety! I used to buy them when available. not so common any more at all.

---------- Post added at 12:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 AM ----------

Originally Posted by ron-in-norcal

I'm hoping the conditions here are right for them, Silken. The ones he's shipping are not in bud, but most of them are blooming size. So, we'll see if the cool nights here during the winter (and dry), will trigger the flower buds. Hope so!

Even if they are tiny canes, many of his hybrids will bloom.

I have had flowers on a cane that is barely 4 inch tall. two spikes though due to small number of nodes available for the plant to make anything out of itself.

[ron-in-norcal]

I'm hoping the conditions here are right for them, Silken. The ones he's shipping are not in bud, but most of them are blooming size. So, we'll see if the cool nights here during the winter (and dry), will trigger the flower buds. Hope so!