need Dendrobium help, please

[Amanda L]

I know that quite a few people use KLN for getting roots to grow.
I have 2 Dens in intensive care right now. My form of intensive care is probably different than most peoples. I use the large plastic soup containers from Chinese restaurants. I put large river stones, bought at WalMart from the home decor section, in the bottom. I fill the container with water up until, just below the top of the rocks, making sure the bottom of the plant is not sitting in water. I mist daily with filtered water with SuperThrive. I have already got 3 new canes growing on one, with roots. One that I have done this way, has already been re-potted and I try to check the roots every few days, to make sure it's acclimating to being potted up. It's going to take patience and time, so don't give up.

I have included pictures of this set up.

[Kona's Gold]

Vicky,
Here's what I have done with root rot.
1 Clean with Physan 20 than soak in KLN
2 Repot and keep warm & Humid but not wet
3 Water with KLN

I have rescued 5 plants in this manner. If you put cinnamon on any helthy roots it burns them. The plant looks pretty good so it will recover nicely.
I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Roland

[Ethan]

Looks like your method works, Amanda...I'm going to try this in the future...thanks!!!

[VickiC]

Hi Ethan,
I see what you are saying, Ethan.....thanks for clearing me up.

As for slow growing, everything I have seems to have been growing slow this winter, so I'll be glad when Spring finally gets here full speed (I'm sure you and lots of other orchid-people will be, too) I love to see new growths and roots.

Thanks also for helping me understand better about dens "canes" being their pseudobulbs.

I've just kept my den lying on the counter in my orchid room today until I got advice from all of you, so I'll go ahead and repot it in the morning. I'm not sure yet what I'll end up doing about the "top-heaviness", but I'll figure out a way to secure it somehow. I know the roots can't get settled if the plant if moving around in the pot.

I use KLN rooting hormone (from First Rays), but I'm so new at orchid growing then starting KLN treatments.....there really hasn't been enough time gone by for me to realize results.

Thanks again for your help,
Vicki

Originally Posted by Ethan

Hi, Vicki -

As far as a resting period for den. phals, I have heard the same that there isn't one, but in my experience with den phals, for a couple months out of the year they do stop growing roots and p-bulbs kind of like phals and catts. I don't think they go completely dormant, they just slow waaay down.

As for the pseudobulbs, my understanding is that dendrobium's canes ARE pseudobulbs, they are just elongated pseudobulbs. They serve the same function of a water storage unit for the plant during dry spells. They are just usually referred to as 'canes' because they are so elongated.


Sandy gave you some good advice. If you repot, you are going to have a hard time keeping it stable since it is so top-heavy and not roots to hold it down. Maybe lay it on top of some potting medium that is not wet?? The important thing is to keep the humidity up and air circulation high if possible. You might try some rooting hormone. I don't know any product names of the top of my head, but if you do a forum search, I know there are several threads on here about it.

[Judi]

I've used K-L-N for rooting and I've has great luck with it. It is easily available on the internet, I haven't been able to find it locally though. If you do buy it, buy a small amount as it doesn't keep for an extended period of time--and keep it in a cool place. I heard some people say they add a drop or two to a gallon of water and use it weekly. I plan on trying this once I get my chids repotted.

[Sandy4453]

Hi Vicki. Most Dends that don't require winter rest, really do require a winter rest, more or less. Confused? OK...it goes something like this... Dend. Phals get watered year 'round, they don't require a completely dry winter rest BUT they do slow down in their growing and whenever this happens, they require less attention (water and fertilizers, in particular). Depending on how you're growing these (indoors/outdoors), they still slow down and need a lot less than in their non-growing season. I water my Dend. Phals about every 5 days in summer and about every 2 weeks in winter. Depending on the weather, will dictate how often. I never fertilize in winter. I wait until the psbulbs (yes, the canes!) begin appearing, which for me is beginning but I'll still hold off until the end of March.

Yes, hold off on the watering. The roots will begin around the time the psbulbs start growing or shortly thereafter. There are stakes of all kinds you can buy to keep the plant secured in the pot. The less wobbling, the better...gives the plant, time to acclimate and anchor itself in the medium. There are hooks you can place across the rhizome that attach to the pot or, you can stake it up with a pot stick, both can be found at Home Depots, Lowes, etc.

Hope this helps. Just be patient and you'll soon see the results you want.

Originally Posted by VickiC

Hi Sandy,
I'm glad to know that the dark spotting is not necessarily uncommon, so I won't worry about it. Since that's the case, in the future I'm going to assume if a dark spot on a cane is not mushy, it is most likely not infected with a fungus. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway, I see now that I shouldn't have unpotted and disturbed it when I thought I should treat it with Physan20 for fungus. As you know, though, "hindsight is 20/20.....you live, you learn".

I may have misunderstood in the past because I didn't think there is a resting period for den phals. ?? If so, I didn't do the right thing this past winter.....I watered and fertilized it as usual all winter. Also, when you mention new pseudobulbs, I assume you are referring to the canes. ??

After I repot it, should I hold off watering and keep it dry for awhile as you said even though there are practically no roots?

As for anchoring it stable, I know I'm gonna have quite a job.....keeping the plant from wobbling around with no roots on my side to help stabilize it at all. Even so, I'll figure something out and deal with it....maybe repot it in a basket so that I can tie off from the corners made for hanging.

Thanks for your help,
Vicki

[Donald]

Don't toss it. Those Denrobiums are a hardy bunch.
Donald