Dendrobium Phalaenopsis Hybrid Help

[leslieann79]

all. I'm new to this board, but I have read through all 70+ pages of the Phal Abuse Ends here and I read this forum everyday. I have finally got the nerve to post a question! I bought a dendrobium phal hybrid off of ebay about two or three weeks ago. The roots are very different than a phal they are fine and white. I know with phals you can tell when to water by the color of the roots are there any tips on watering this hybrid? Do their roots change color or should I just use the skewer method? Its potted in the better gro orchid mix I think its called. Its a mixture of bark and charcoal and perlite. All of my orchids were re potted when they came home with me but I badly re potted them in a mixture of sphagnum moss and miracle gro coarse mix so now I've repotted them all again learning from my mistake. The hybrid seems to be doing pretty well its got a new cane growing and I just dont wanna screw it up. Thanks!

[RandomGemini]

Pics would help a lot. Add four more posts and you should be able to post pictures to the forum for us to see.

As far as watering goes, I have never kept this hybrid, but I suspect that the watering scheme is similar to phals. Water when the potting medium is dry in the center. Fertilize weakly, weekly. I would use the skewer method, color changing on the roots is helpful, but it can't tell you what's going on inside the pot. I would use the color change of the roots as an indicator of when it's time to check the skewer.

I love the better gro special orchid mix. Nice big pieces, plenty of drainage, so your orchids should do fine in it. It might be a bit larger than the phals need, but I wouldn't bother changing it.

New cane? Do you mean a spike, or an aerial root? Spikes look like they have a little oven mitt on the end of them. Anything else, is probably a root. IMO, any new growth is GOOD growth! So it doesn't matter if it's a spike or a root really.

BTW, to the orchid board!

[leslieann79]

Thanks for the great info. I wish I could post pictures. This particular hybrid has bamboo like canes from which the flower and leaves grow from. I have 4 phals all newly acquired within the last few weeks. Today when I repotted them in the better stuff there was root rot so Im hoping they will be ok. Everything was wet when I repotted and its been 7 days since last watering. I guess the moss just holds to much moisture for a newbie like me.

[leslieann79]

Here are some pictures. Hope this works.

[Island Girl]

That new growth should start putting out roots soon, these like to dry out fast, and be watered often... Meaning you want them in a fast-draining mix, this looks good, just use the skewer method, and when it's dry, water. I prefer more inorganics in the mix, along with the bark, but my conditions are different from yours. With Phalaenopsis, the skewer should be slightly damp when you water, but with these Den. Phal-types, you would want to wait a day, maybe two, then water (that is my understanding, I only have one at the moment ~ I don't use skewers tho) Their roots will change color when wet, but I don't use that to judge, necessarily... Sometimes, I mist the top roots, but I have a lot of roots at the surface (they are old, from old canes, and new ones, from new canes/shoots), so you will probably not have to do this. Hopefully, a more seasoned expert will come along, and give you better advice about these.

[kindrag23]

I have dendrobiums and just want to say that I have to use the skewer method. Before that mine were not getting enough water and got severely dehydrated.

---------- Post added at 05:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:10 PM ----------

Also I had to move my dendrobium to more orchid moss rather then all better gro mix. Its just drying out way to fast where I live because we don't have the humidity you have.

[Bloomin_Aussie]

I agree. The mix should be coarse and free draining. During the warmer months water frequently. It really doesn't matter how often because the mix should drain right through anyway. They do hold a fair amount of water in their pseudobulbs so can go a little while without water too. These ones like to have a bit of air in their roots too.

I can't quite see what the pot is...

[leslieann79]

Its in a clear orchid pot thats held in decorative pot. So from what I'm understanding I should water this one a little more than my phals. I watered it today and it drained right through which sounds like a good thing. I ran water through it a second time after that and let it drain.

[NYCorchidman]

Beautiful color! I wanted to buy this one but never have yet. I need to make some room first. lol

Anyhow, ideally, if you had a greenhouse or were able to stand by your plant all day to water, then it is best to use course mix and water often.
If you are a home grower like me, that can be quite difficult to do, especially during the growing season for this type of plant, which is mostly the summer months for me here in northeast.
I find moisture retaining mix work very well. The mix has to be well draining of course, but theses plants drink tons of water during the growth phase and you want to give it all the water it needs to achieve the best possible growth. which is then followed by good flowering.
I use peat mix with some chunks of bark or perlite, or even charcoal to help better aeration. This way, I don't have to stress myself over watering daily.
I have a few in straight bark and those are watered everyday in the summer.
In the winter when these do not do anything for me, I simply keep them on the very dry side. but never dry too long to a point where the canes are wrinkled up.

Last, yes, those white roots of dendrobiums do turn green when saturated with water. Aerial roots that have not been misted for a long time may not turn green unless submerged in water for a while.

The best way to tell when to water is by lifting the pots and feel the weight.

[leslieann79]

Thank You. My hybrid seems to be easier to care for than my phals. I might need to get more if I kill the phals.