New Dendrobium- Media?
 

Hello!

I came home with a pretty little Dendrobium today. Totally an impulse buy.

I am concerned about the media though. It looks almost like potting soil.

Should it go into Orchid bark with the clear plastic pot.

Dendrobium | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

From what I read, they like the same bark mix as Phals.
I hope more experiences growers will add their suggestions.

Care Instructions for a Dendrobium Orchid

There are a lot of different Dens w/a lot of different needs. Some are high light w/dry between waterings...some are lower light and moist all the time...and there are many variations of those 2 extremes. Do you know what kind you picked up? It will make a difference when it comes to the culture.

If you dont' know the name a pic of the entire plant might help ID the type of Den you have. From the bottom part it looks like it might be a phal-type den but I wouldn't want to say that for sure w/out seeing the rest of the plant.

Thank you for the link, Rlilia! I will make it my morning coffee reading material :)

Before I bought the plant, I dug down into the pot to take a look at the roots- they are similar to a phal. Just much skinnier. I can get a photo of the roots today, if it is needed.

I don't have an ID, Katrina, I bought it at the grocery store, it just says "Dendrobium-Orchid with grower's pot." With a care tag that says I keep it wet and in potting soil. But looking at the roots that really doesn't make sense. I don't even know what that means- grower's pot. It doesn't look like an orchid pot to me. And I just don't trust the big box store.

I am getting better at being prepared! I have photos!

Dendrobium | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9521629...n/photostream/

Thank you so much for your input! It's very valuable to me!

As I suspected, it looks to be a phal-type Dendrobium. Which doesn't mean phalaenopsis type...but rather Phalaenanthe (sp?) type (or in the Phalaenanthe section) of Dendrobium. Of which, Dendrobium phalaenopsis is a member. It creates a lot of confusion for people, I know.

As to the culture...I personally don't grow this type of Den so I won't give suggestions or advice...I'll let those in the know help you there. There are plenty of growers of this type so I'm sure you'll have additional info shortly.

Ohmagosh my head is spinning.

I read the info from Rlilia, I'm now wondering if I can plant my Den and Phal in the same pot. They both like tight spaces, and my phal is right lopsided and needs to be straightened out anyway.

Clear plastic orchid pots are IMPOSSIBLE to come by in my corner of the world...I had to drive three hours to the nearest city for the only orchid pots I could find. They are HUGE. This would also help with space issues on my shelf.
Will they play nice together?

I impulse buy and then try to solve the space problem after. :blushing:

I wouldn't recommend planting them in the same pot as they require different light levels. I don't grow this type but I do know for certain that the Den will require a good deal more light than the phal.

I have them under a growlight, and the Phal is growing into a monster. I was hoping to slow it's growth by restricting the roots. I don't even know if that's a reality.

I'll try it. If I need to pull one out I'm at least working with somewhat to decently healthy plants. Assuming that light is the only issue of course.

I like quite chunky fir bark mix for Phals, or sphag moss ... have my potted Den-phal in coconut husk chips, but the certainly can be grown in bark.

If you leave it in that moss take that leaf out so it isn't damaged by the water. As for planting them in the same pot, it may make re-potting difficult if the routes become intertwined with one another.