New and Need Advice re Dendrobium Kingianum

[Jeanie]

Hello everyone,

Heartened by Dorothy's words on another post "Remember - there are no dumb questions !" I have decided to be brave and ask away ...

First of all, I am a complete beginner ... I don't even know the names of the parts of these beautiful things, but I have bought a book and I'm determined to learn.

I live in Melbourne in Australia and have for some years now, been the owner of two DK's (which I now see are called something else). Anyway, I have ignored them completely for about 4 years now ... they flower each season, then hibernate again, but I think they are looking somewhat ill and need to come out of their pots. I have read somewhere that I can pop them on to the trunk of a tree fern and they will thrive. I would love to do this as I have quite a few in my garden here in the mountains just outside Melbourne.

My question is, how? I know I've pushed my luck in not really caring for them, but all of a sudden I've realised I am quite attached to them and don't want to lose them now.

What are the necessary steps I must take to enable them to grow on their own on a ... is it called a host ... tree?

I will be very grateful for any advice ... and then I might even pluck up the courage to ask about my other orchid which I inherited five years ago and have finally separated and put in two pots (hopefully they will live).

Jeanie

[RenéeS]

Hi Jeanie, welcome to orchidboard! I grow Den. kingianum in a pot, I know how to mount orchids, but have not alot of experience with Dendrobiums. SO I am going to leave the question-answering to others .
Happy learning here!

[Blueszz]

Hello Jeanie,
I can't help with giving advise how to mount your Den. kingianum but wanted to say: Welcome at OB!
Please also ask your other questions... OB is a very friendly and helpful environment as you soon will notice.

Nicole

[Donald]

Find good crook in a tree and carefully tie and or wrap the main stem to the branch of the tree with fishing line. Cover the roots with some sphagnum and let nature take it's course. Sounds like what you were doing before worked out OK

[stefpix]

wouldn't dry up faster mounted? probably might need more frequent watering in the summer/hot days

[Donald]

Correct but there is an Australian member of this board that has posted some very good threads on Dendrobiums regarding there care. Dens, in general really don't like an abundance of water as you and I both know.

[stefpix]

Yeah I know that the kingianum is hardy but I meant that if it is mounted on a tree might need more water on a hot summer dry spell.

[Donald]

Go to the Growing on Mounts forum and check out this post by king of orchid growing:
just mounted a rhyncostylis gigantea 'peach'

[Jeanie]

Thankyou very much, everyone, for your welcome and your replies.

Donald, I will certainly go and have a look at that post you mentioned.

Not understanding Orchids very well, I wasn't sure whether I should separate the plant in each pot to mount onto the tree ferns or not.

The watering I don't think would be a problem, as we are in the rainforest and our home is under a canopy of ferns and trees. We are in the midst of a drought right now, but these little guys have been in a pot with no artificial watering throughout for a number of years now.

I also wondered if they should be facing a certain direction to get whatever filtered sunlight comes in to that area? Also, how long does the fishing line need to be in place before the plant adheres by itself?

Thankyou all again,

Jeanie

[RosieC]

Hi Jeanie,

I can't answer your questions but just wanted to say welcome