Deciduous Dends?
 

I have two Dendrobiums that I don't know how to handle for the winter. One is Dend pierardii and one is Dend superbum, and I read that they are both deciduous. How do they know when it is winter? Are they photoperiodic? These little guys are just seedlings, so I was wondering if I should be giving them a winter rest this year. If so, when do I start? Any advice or information for a newbie with the deciduous types is very welcome. I opted to try with the seedlings first so that if I messed it up, it wasn't an expensive loss.

Thank you!
Lisa
:)

Dend pierardii and dend. superbum are nobile type dendrobiums. In their native areas, the weather becomes dry and the temperature different between day and night are remarkable in autumn, which tell them that they should enter the winter rest phase of their life cycle.
So when they are grown in the greenhouse, start to reduce their water in mid-autumn and they would know that it's time for them to finish growing.

Lisa I grow D. anosmum (superbum) and start withholding all water right after Halloween. I withhold all water and fertilizer (they get crispy dry and drop all the leaves starting from the top) until around late Feb or March when the buds form along the last year's bare canes. Looks like this:

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...uperbum_01.jpg http://www.orchidboard.com/community...uperbum_02.jpg http://www.orchidboard.com/community...anosmum_01.jpg

As soon as flower buds form and grow to approx 1/2" I start water/fertilizer again. By then you should see little green nubbins at base of canes where next year's cane(s) will be. I have two canes on one plant and 3 on other. Hope this helps.

Ross,

Would you go with the same care for a really tiny seedling? Just picked up a Dendrobium anosmum seedling today too at Oak Hill. It can't be more than maybe an inch, inch and half tall.

Solana

Ross said 'nubbins'
:coverlaugh:

Speaking of deciduous dends, I got a senile that seems to be still growing, how can I know when I should stop watering and fertilising?

Hi , If a seedling you want to keep it growing I don't with hold food and water until they are blooming size .
Halloween is the cut off date on my big ones .
Senile , good question a lot of conflicting info. on that one . Gin

Hey, thanks! Lots of great information here! :biggrin:

Do they need high light during dormancy to 'ripen' the growth or is this just a myth. I can't provide high light in the middle of winter lol...

Im with Gin on this one. None of my seedlings (from any genus) pay any attention to seasonality if you keep watering them. I would keep watering it through the winter if you get a new growth. Keep it warm too. Cold weather is the main decider of dormancy. In fact, I believe it was Mauro (Rosim in BR) who does not stop watering his mature plants completely like most people do. Rather (please correct me if Im wrong!) he says his ansosmum spikes just fine with cold weather as the trigger. :goodluck: