Winter rest?? Deciduous?? Anceps and kingianum

[Lyssanjw]

Hi all,

Trying to prepare for my first winter with dendrobiums (indoor grower in NJ). I have two: Den. Kingianum varigatum and Den.anceps. Do I need to winter rest these babies? Is the anceps deciduous?

I also read somewhere online that Neofinetia falcata needs a winter rest. Is this true??

I just don't want to do my babies wrong, come the cooler temps. Help!

[WhiteRabbit]

Info on anceps from IOSPE PHOTOS
says this species is deciduous and

This species requires a cool, drier rest in the winter months and a cessation of fertilizer until new growth begins in the spring.

You will hear / read differing info on kingianum, but in my experience, no winter rest, tho it won't bloom if night temps aren't cool, and can grow slightly drier in winter, but shouldn't sit dry for very long. Honestly, my kingi and hybrids generally have already started spikes by early / mid autumn, and bloom late winter / early spring.

Neofinetia do not require a winter rest, but they do well with cooler temps in winter, and require less water in the lower temps.
Culture -

Fkkiran Society of America

[camille1585]

Winter rest can mean either cooler temps, or cooler temps + dry. As Sonya says, den kingianum doesn't need to be dry in the winter. Just cool. I reduce watering in the winter for it, but only because it takes longer to dry out when it's cool! Can't help with anceps, I dont grow those.

[greenpassion]

I have Den. Kinganiums, both the pink purple (?) and the alba. 5 of my kings are keikes from the mom, and I have 1 king. alba. I wish I could say that mine too are spiking and blooming, but nothing so far. I think I went too dry after reading that they should be kept on the drier side with no food from fall thru winter. The other day I realized that the canes of all the pink variety were looking rather dehydrated, and came to the conclusion that I need to water more frequently. Up to that day, I"d only been watering around every 10 to 12 days. The mother is in bark, in a 4in pot, the other keikes are all in 2 and 3 inch pots, in bark, on a south facing window sill. I'll water every 4 days or so and see what change happens...I'm primarily a phal grower, and not any where near as educated about dens.