Den loddigesii lost all leaves

[headbanger333]

Hello all, I was given a small Den loddigesii 15 mths ago and potted it in small bark in small pot. It had lots of small leaves at that point but over the following 12 months it didn't grow at all. I was advised to take it from the pot and attach it to a piece of aged tree fern trunk. It was kept in a wsrm sunny spot, watered, misted and fed once a fortnight but it has slowly lost all leaves and is bare. Is it a gonner or should I give it more time? Comments appreciated. Thank you.

[fishmom]

Is it winter for you? My Den. loddegeiis were outside for much of the winter and lost many leaves but have bushed out for the spring. Do you see any green nubbins on the branches? Are the branches still flexible, or have they dried out and turned brittle?Those might be ways of determining life or death.

Mine are in small pots, by the way. I am not set up for the daily watering required for mounts.

[headbanger333]

Thanku so much, i now have a ray of hope! Yes, it is winter here in New Zealand. Loddigesii is outside but under polycarb roofing. I have had a close look at it with a magnifying glass and in two places I can clearly see minutely small healthy green leaves! I am optimistic that Spring will prove good growth. Thank you for giving me hope. ☺

[fishmom]

I don't know what your winter temperatures are, but the information I found gives an average minimum temp. of 45 F. (7 C) degrees. Going much lower than that could cause the plant to struggle. Mine was outside but brought into the garage when lower than 40 degrees was forecast.

[estación seca]

It should get lots of water in the summer. Insufficient water would cause it to drop leaves.

The Huntington Botanical Gardens has grown them outside under shade cloth. They have been exposed to near-freezing winter night temperatures without trouble. They are dry at this time.

[headbanger333]

Many thanks for comments. Much appreciated. 😎

[SaraJean]

Since it is winter where you are, you can really cut back on the water. It's in a dormant state right now. I don't start watering and fertilizing normally until I see leaves and roots on my new growth and I start to cut back on the water and fertilizer after the last leaf forms on the pseudobulb. After the leaves fall off it is dormant and then my loddigessii doesn't get any water or fertilizer, which is for almost 3 months for me. I might lightly mist it (this was still a young plant for the last two years) but this year I am going to try and just let it get a nice hard rest. My loddigesii takes temps down into the high 30's and mid 40's for a few weeks, it was kept bone dry during this time, and is growing beautifully this year!
Here is a link for the member project thread that was for the den. loddigesii Dendrobium loddigesii (Project 10 Cool - Spring 2010)

[headbanger333]

Thanks SaraJean, I am sure I have the knowledge I need now to grow my Loddigesii into a strong, healthy plant when Spring comes. 😎