The first couple years I had mine, it only got one new growth a year (canes were only maybe a couple of inches) - last year it got two new growths, but not at the same time - started one early in the year, and shortly after that one reached it full growth, it started another. Each new cane has been a little taller than the previous. I'm hoping I'll suddenly get a cane a fair amount taller than previous lol

There are different Den spectabile which have varying growth & blooming habits. Given this, cultural practices also have a great influence on growth & blooming.

We've propagated & grown thousands of Den spectabile plants over more than 25 years & we've had our share of frustrations & head scratching. The plants are vigorous & very easy to grow, provided you disregard the notion of the need for a very small pot with crowded pot-bound roots.

We usually recommend that people take our 4-5" plants, busting out of 2", & pot them up into 4" pots ... with very good drainage. This gives them room to grow quickly. With very good drainage, plants should receive lots of water & food during their late spring to late summer growth period. Keeping plants root-bound, under-watered & under-fed during their juvenile stage will make them scrawny & slow growing.

Instead, push them along in a 4" pot, until there are 3-4 good sized canes ... maybe one about 8" & the largest about 10-12". At this size plants are large enough & mature enough to bloom, given the proper conditions. When plants are this size, it is very important to provide abundant water during the summer months. (but keep them from drowning during Florida's summer monsoons). By the end of summer, cut off the fertilizer. Plan ahead so that plants don't have slow release fertilizers that keep feeding after summer.

Feeding after summer will not harm the plants. On the contrary, they will be as happy as clams ... they just won't bloom. Watering is fine & necessary. But fertilizer will stimulate plants to produce new growth during the fall & winter. And this new growth cycle during fall-winter will inhibit blooming, because this is when canes should be maturing & the plants preparing to bloom. A fall or winter chill dawn to 60 F can certainly help define the season for plants to conclude their new growth, but this chil is not an absolute necessity.

Many years ago, we fed plants even through the fall, until our rainy "winter" season. With such culture, Den spectabile plants grew beautifully ... and very large, but they were reluctant to bloom. By continuing abundant water, but cutting off their feed in late summer, plants stop producing new growth & plants go into "winter" with mature canes only. As a consequence, we now produce plants that regularly bloom with 4-5 canes, only 10-12" tall, in 4-5" pots.

The keys to success in growing & blooming Den spectabile: allow them to grow vigorously to reach maturity more quickly; then, cut the feed at the end of summer, so that the can initiate blooms in the winter.

Thank you catwalker that was VERY informative. Mine are growing very well just didnt know what to do after that...lol

mine were bs when I got them, but the new growths are very fast! They also can be stepped up to nearly full sun! lots of water and fertiliser, too!

thanks for the great info catwalker! I know I had read your fertilizing recommendation for these before, and I have filed away that info

good to have a general idea how big mine needs to get before being bloom size - mine still has a ways to go - I'm hoping for a growth spurt lol.

So, catwalker, would you recommend to continue to feed immature plants through the winter?

It's not only the time of year that matters, but also your own specific growing conditions. If your plants are truly experiencing winter, with short days & low temps, you still need to water occasionally. But feeding could result in soft growth.

On the other hand, if your artificial indoor conditions are sufficiently warm & bright, then the plants are not really experiencing winter & light feedings should be ok. Of course some types of plants are very seasonal & can detect seasonal changes, even when grown entirely indoors.

Very good info. My windowsill setup drops to around 60 during winter so I'm assuming its going to see a winter "rest".

I have upped my night temps in the greenhouse from the mid 50's to 60 and my Den spectabile still blooms and am getting more to bloom with warmer temps, I guess.

I have a fairly large den spectabile with the tallest cane being 18" or so. It bloomed for me beautifully over the winter.

http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/201...o24/88af4b.jpg

Just recently I started to position my orchids outside since the temperatures warmed up and let's just say I (unintentionally) left the spectabile in the a spot that received too much sun after a long winter indoors. My poor baby is sunburnt!

http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/201...o24/2ebdd8.jpg

I get sick to my stomach everytime I look at it. I'm tempted to buy another specimen (while they're available) just in case this guy decided to take a turn for the worst. What do you guys think?

Could these be new growth eyes already?

http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/201...o24/3af24c.jpg