Dendrobium Nobile cycle question

[gngrhill]

I bought my Den Nobile NoID this spring with full leaves and blooms on it. After the blooms died off it started growing new growths ( and a few kiekis ) . Now some of the leaves have died off, but the new growths are still green and healthy looking. I am very confused as to when to stop watering as most culture sheets say to stop when the first leave appears. My leaves are still not all off, so I don't know when to start resting it. I don't want to stress out the new growths either. Can anyone help ?

[silken]

You don't want to completely stop watering them. Usually by late summer the new growths are mature. You can tell because the last leaf is at the top of the cane so the cane won't be growing anymore. At this point you should stop fertilizing completely for the winter. The nobile Dens need a cool dry winter rest to induce blooms in spring. Because they are kept cool, they are semi dormant and therefore would rot if you gave them much water. Just water or mist enough to keep the pseudo bulbs from shrivelling.

When spring arrives, you will see little bumps swelling on the mature canes. Some will have shed some leaves and others seem to keep them. If you fertilize too soon, the bumps will become keikis. So wait to resume regular watering and feeding until you are sure they are buds, not keikis.

[gngrhill]

Thanks for clearing that up for me

[silken]

Originally Posted by gngrhill

Thanks for clearing that up for me

No problem. Good luck and I hope you get nice blooms.

[NYCorchidman]

I have written on the care of dendrobium nobile hybrids a few times, but it came up again.

There is no such things complete withdrawal of watering.

Remember even the natural species nobile get plenty of water everyday during the rest period.

Think of it more as less watering rather than no watering.

Also, if you keep your nobile hybrids warm, the leaves will always be there, which is not a problem.

When you drop temperature quite a bit, the leaves will drop. The flowering will be better.
and you want to water when the pot is dry. You HAVE TO water throughout the winter unless you keep your plant near freezing. and even then you want to mist or water every now and then on a sunny day.

Happy Growing!