Am I too late to give Dendrobium Nobile cool temps?

[Edew]

Hi orchid lovers! So my Dendrobium Nobile (Sakura Hime) already started growing bumps at the base (new shoots). I forgot to put it outside this fall to give it cooler temps. I was wondering: can I give it cooler night temps now? Or is it too late and I might damage the emerging growths?

Last season, it made new growths right on time in the spring. But I messed up by keeping it in warmer indoor temps this time. Thanks!

[dbarron]

I'd think it's too late..since new growth has clearly initiated. Guess you will get to wait to see if it's flowers or a ton of keikis.

[estación seca]

I would keep watering it AND give it cooler temperatures, but no fertilizer. I think you will get new growth through the winter and flowers next spring. Flowering is not triggered by water restriction, but by low night temperatures. Flowering is inhibited by nitrogen fertilizer after growth is half complete. Watering through the winter should not inhibit flowering if you can really give it 6 weeks of nights below 50 F / 10C.

[JScott]

I have a nobile-type Dendrobium. It blooms in the winter after getting cold temperatures in the autumn, however when I place it back outside early in the spring when the temperatures are still cold, I get a second set of blooms from anywhere on the canes that didn't already bloom in the fall, or from canes which weren't quite mature in the fall but have matured by spring. I think you've got a shot at getting blooms still, but like ES said, it's the temperature that sets the blooms, and cool nights won't harm the plant, so you've got nothing to lose if you give it a shot.

[POLKA]

Yeah, give it a shot. If you do have new growths down below, likely they will stall out. You will probably get the flowers, and they likely will start new growths when warm. The stalled ones might grow on out, or maybe not. I've had them stall, and start new growths with warm temps in spring. R

[Edew]

Thanks for all of your replies! I gave it a skittish few more evenings of cooler temps (and water with no fertilizer), and surprisingly, something is growing. Not sure if it’s a keiki but it looks like where a flower usually would form, no? This Dendrobium went through some set back a few years ago when I first got it (fell off the window and roots dried out in the sun), so now that it’s been making a comeback, I’d be happy even with just 1 flower 🙂

[Paphluvr]

Originally Posted by Edew

Thanks for all of your replies! I gave it a skittish few more evenings of cooler temps (and water with no fertilizer), and surprisingly, something is growing. Not sure if it’s a keiki but it looks like where a flower usually would form, no? This Dendrobium went through some set back a few years ago when I first got it (fell off the window and roots dried out in the sun), so now that it’s been making a comeback, I’d be happy even with just 1 flower 🙂

You'll know soon enough when it either starts to differentiate multiple buds or leaves.

[Edew]

Anyone wanna place early bets? Haha

[Paphluvr]

Looks like normal bud development to me. If it is, you'll have more than one flower (my nobile dendrobiums always gave me three flowers/node). Unfortunately, I don't grow them anymore due to size constraints. Beautiful plants when in bloom.

[dbarron]

Yes, I see purple coloration there...I think buds.