Help with mini dendrobium snowdrop - Orchid Board

va.orchids · #1 07-18-2015, 01:05 PM

Hi all:

I have two mini dens one microchip which is doing very well and one snowdrop which is not doing well. I bought them both at the same time and have treated them the same. I water them every two-three days, have them sitting by my kitchen sink so I won't forget. The snow drop has lost all it's roots and has only two pbulbs left. I re-potted it today in some fine bark with some charcoal, fine perlite and a little bit of moss on the top. Is there anything else I can do? The micro chip looks really good and is throwing out new shoots. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

RosieC · #2 07-19-2015, 01:25 PM

I think you've done what you can, but my best advice is not to water on a set schedule. Every orchid is different and the existing number of roots in a pot and the size of the pot and exactly what the media is (and how old it is), and the weather, can all affect how often it needs watering.

The best thing to do is water based on when it needs it... but how do you judge that... that's the difficult bit.

Dendrobiums like to dry a little but not completely between waterings. I find they do OK if I let them dry a little too much, better than if I keep them too wet.

My guess is that you have over-watered and the roots have rotted as a result. I don't know what size pot it's in, but I water my Dens in fine bark about once a week, but some weeks I miss a week if it still seems to damp. If I spot it's dried faster than normal I might water early. My Dens in moss (and smaller pots than the ones in bark) are also done once a week, but they probably could do with more as they are always too dry by the time I water them. I think ideally these need about every 5 days.

One way to judge if they are still wet is with a wooden skewer in the pot. Leave it in and pull it out when you want to check, if it's damp feeling when you pull it out then you know the medium is still damp inside. Get a feel for how long it takes by testing every day until it is full dry, then watering. Next time water one day sooner. Occasionally repeat the process as the weather changes.

Also feel the weight of the pot when you test. You will feel it get lighter as it dries out. Over time you will learn to judge if it's time to water by the weight. I tend to think this technique takes experience, but you will get the feel for it.

AJW · #3 07-19-2015, 05:21 PM

Good luck as these are both nice Dens to have

Joseia · #4 07-20-2015, 07:07 PM

Watering every two to three days might be too frequent. I have a bunch of Latouria Dens and I mist them after three days, and then give them a good long soak after three more days, alternating between a misting and soaking every three days. Mine, however, are in a terrarium under an MH light, where the temps regularly reach 83-84F with lots of airflow. If I had them on my windowsill, I am sure I would be watering much less frequently. A good way to tell when they need water is by holding the pot and seeing how heavy it feels right after watering, then waiting till it feels light.

va.orchids · #5 07-21-2015, 10:42 AM

Thank you. I thought I was supposed to water the minis more frequently. I will change that and maybe put them out on the porch to get the humidity and warm air that we have here in VA.

Jackie26085 · #6 08-04-2015, 05:17 PM

Well I would say that based on my limited experience with a nobile type den which grows very well on my porch, err on the drier side. I prefer finger than wooden skewer because if I leave the skewer in for days it will get moldy. I repot it in February and it's already root bound again. Now in summer I water it twice a week.

I think it also depends on the genes of the plant. Some just don't do well. I have another den nobile that I got almost the same time as the other one and it lost all of its roots.

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