Is it too late for flowers?
 

Hi everyone,
I have one dendrobium nobile Yellow Song 'Canary'. I have written about this orchid before and appreciate all your advice. Setting the scene: I followed advice over the past year, plant grew two big fat canes. I stopped fertilizing in Oct. The plant is in S/H. Last year I did not do anything and the canes shriveled, no flowers so this year I ran water thru the pot every three weeks. It has been exposed to temp. of 55-65. Ave daytemp. is now 68. Leaves are starting to yellow but there are two new canes starting! The plant sits in a E-S window.
The question is will this plant get flowers? :hmm or is it now too late and I have to wait again? Since canes are starting should I begin to fertilize again?
It is now going on its third non blooming year. The only time the plant had flowers is when I bought it. This plant is soooooo stubborn but I am determined to keep at it. :biggrin:
Thanks everyone
Linda

If it's showing new growth it's probably not going to bloom at this point. Your temps during the rest period should be in the 40s with no water. I have had mine out in my quilting studio since Halloween. It's in the low to mid 40s out there and I have one bud on an old cane, hoping for more. :)

Wow Terri, the 40's? I have never put the orchids outside but perhaps this fall I will. I will keep trying.
Thanks

I've never grown type I Nobile dendrobiums but with anosmum (a type II nobile deciduous) I don't do anything but withhold water/fertilizer. Temps are naturally cooler (60s, but not 40s) - they are in my grow window in the house. I get green growths and flower bud development at same time (flower buds on last year's canes.)

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...anosmum_02.jpg http://www.orchidboard.com/community...uperbum_02.jpg

Mine is a type I (I guess). It doesn't go completely deciduous. I check on it weekly and it looks fine. Seems to really like the cool temps. This is my first time trying this scheme, and it seems to be working like a charm. There are others here who have put them outside in weather that's in the 30's! Mine is inside but the studio only has the heat on if I'm out there working.

I think I'll post an article on the types of Dendrobiums as classified by Rebecca Tyson Northern. Biggest difference between type I and type II is type I wants intermediate to warm temps in summer and cool in winter. Type II wants warm all year. Both get total rest.

To add to this discussion, here is a pic of my Type I in flower last spring. Maybe folks can figure out what type they have based on how they look. :hmm

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...le_No_Name.jpg

Terri, best way to tell what type (and thus what culture) one has is to check the example species and compare to the progeny in the cross that is being checked. At some point, every cross can trace their roots to species. Where species cross different types, then an educated guess can be made based on how many of each type is involved in the cross :hmm (at least I would think it works that way.)

Unfortunately mine is a NOID so I can't backtrack it's parentage. I feel reasonably certain it is a type I nobile. It seems to be responding to the culture for a type I anyway. ;)

Thankyou everyone. Ross thankyou for adding to the discussion and educating me about locating more info. on the plant. What and where would I go to check the parentage? (Such a newbie, am I asking the right question and using the right verbage?)
I am encouraged that you have had growth and flowers at the same time. Perhaps I am still in the time frame for possible buds. For now I will just continue withholding fertilizer and will run water over the medium monthly. There has been no water in the reserve since Oct. I will give it to April with fingered crossed.
Thanks again,
Linda