Two Den. with growth, what to do?
 

Hi there.
I aquaired several orchids from my grandmother, I believe the two in question are dendrobiums? The first photo is on one I thought I killed, then these two little shots appeared. Is there anything I should do to them? What are they exactly?

The second has been pretty dormant. It flowered for a few weeks after I brought it home (Nov. 06) and hasn't done much till the top sprouted. Do I need to trim the big leaves or anything? It's got a fairly large root mass near the sprout thats largely white and dry.

Any help appreciated!
Jo

Hi there. They both appear to be Dendros. I can't really tell much from the first photo as it only shows the cane and not the rest of the plant. It looks like it is sending out Keiki (baby plants). That's kind of a last ditch effort for the orchid to survive though they will also kick them out when they are healthy. If you can post a pic of the whole plant that would help. I'd recommend making sure they get watered and fed regularly through the summer as that is the active growing season for most chids. Some Dendros like a rest period in the winter. That's when you should cut back on water and feeding, and those types also like lower temps in the winter to promote flowering. The one in the second photo looks quite large. I would begin by staking that new growth up. It's probably too late to do anything with the ones that have flopped over. White roots near the surface is a good thing. That means it is actively growing. No need to trim the leaves the plant will drop them when they not longer need them.