Beginning of bloom spikes?

[Sara]

I was checking out my Den. Iki today, and I think I see some the beginnings of some spikes!
Here are the two beginning spikes that I have found:


I've had this plant for almost 1.5 years, and was getting frustrated with it.
So what do you guys think?

[Sandy4453]

Sara, it very well may be but it's too soon to tell. Dend. spikes will grow very rapidly. It could have been getting acclimated in all this time you've had it and may have missed a blooming season because of the change in environments from wherever it came to your care. Blooming season for most dends in the northern hemisphere is usually autumn with winters being their rest periods but it's not 'gospel' for all dends.

If I could suggest one thing in particular, it is NOT to use fertilizers on dends. They'll produce more keikis than flowers and in fact, can cause the plant to skip blooming all together that season. Assuming yours is in bark, you can use a high nitro fert once a month (and weakly) in the spring and summer.

Keep this thread updated. I'll be looking to find out if it's a spike!

Fingers crossed.....

[Becca]

Well for what it's worth, one of my dendrobiums is in spike currently, and Sandy is correct, the spikes grow very rapidly! I think mine appeared out of nowhere over night and then took off from there! My sister told me it would be a few months before the flowers actually opened, but I think she might be wrong about that! I also fertilizer my dendrobium frequently! Keep us posted on the progress!

[quiltergal]

Sara, they are definitely flower buds. Den. Iki is a group IV nigro-hirsute(little black hairs all over it) type. I have one in the same group Den. Frosty Dawn and it is budding just like that. Each Frosty Dawn bud normally carries 2 flowers. Not sure if Iki will do like wise. Good growing! Group IVs only need a slight pause in fall as far as a rest period goes, but heck my started budding in the fall. I also feed at every watering.

There are many different groups of Dens (6), and they run the gamut from no winter to rest at all to strict winter rest with no water or fert. It's best to look up each individual plant's requirements since they are so diverse in their growth habits and needs.

Here is Frosty's bloom last spring. I have twice the number of buds now.

[Dorothy]

It's positively a nubbin ...

[Lagoon]

Congrats on that nubber