Dendrobium anosmum in S/H?
 

Hi all,

I was wondering whether dendrobium anosmum is suitable to be in S/H because it requires a dry period in order for it to flower. Or I should let it dry out completely until it flowers and restart the S/H after flowering?

I have minimal understanding on anosmum especially on getting it to bloom. Local nurseries told me to continue watering whole year round but most online sources say to stop watering on certain month to stress it out to bloom. I'm confused..

Please advise. :)

Thanks.

Den anosmum is so pendulous that you will likely have trouble keeping it upright in that sort of set up.

I agree with Katrina, but to address the "required" dry period, that is really more about "no nutrients" rather than "no water", and folks that grow such stuff in semi-hydroponics either let it go dry, as they would with ordinary culture, or keep on watering regularly, but making sure they are using nutrient-free water during the "rest period".

Sorry, I forgot to answer the water question. Ray is correct...i continue to water during the winter but I water less and no fert. Meaning, I let them go a bit longer between waterings but I still water well when I do water. When I see new growths starting...i go back to more frequent watering and I resume fert. I do that with both my anosmum and they bloom beautifully.

Mimic nature. Don't water it. The added benefit is that if you experience a cool day, the evaporative cooling from water won't cause rot.

In their native habitat they do get water during the dryer season...just not heavy rains. Heavy dew from humidity and fog regularly provide moisture.

Hi all,

I'm still new with anosmum (Ard 1 year).
I am always confuse with when to reduce watering and when to resume watering. The reason is in my place (Malaysia), one local nursery that produce masses of anosmum (Alba, pink, purple) says that they don't stop watering and the orchid blooms on the whole cane when it is old enough. But most internet sources says to cut down watering during winter to mimic the environment in it's original habitat.

Anosmum came from few places (Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines) their dry season is as below)
Dry season in Malaysia may-sept
Dry season in thailand Oct - Feb
Dry season in Philippines nov-may

So my question is when is the time to reduce watering? Or I should follow the nursery advise to keep on watering?

To add on to the confusion, some nurseries says it bloom ard Sept to October yet the one that I have from the nursery that mass produce them flowered ard May (Ard 2-4 flowers per cane. The cane was already almost 3 ft long). I also have another semi-alba form which is starting to lose leaves now (cut watering?)

Any advice?

Thank you very much. :)

Your post reads like you know a lot--certainly a lot more information on this plant than I have before I read this thread.

I acquired this plant a couple of weeks ago. It was a rescue. Based on what is posted in this thread, I'm keeping my plant watered until it gets too cold to be outside, then when I bring it indoors, I'll put it in my high humidity grow space and once in awhile spray it with with a good dose of water.

When Winter ends I'll start watering it more. This is the same process I go through with wintering my Neofinetia falcata.

People grow it outside on trees in Hawaii. Most of the islands get at least some rain all year. It flowers profusely there.

Listen to the plant. Meaning...when the canes are mature and the leaves begin to drop you can water less but still water so they don't stay dry for long periods. When the plant is actively growing then increase the watering (and add fert) so they are more consistently moist. The biggest difference is somewhat less water when "resting" and no fert during that phase.

As ES pointed out...people in HI grow these outside year round and they bloom beautifully. If you're growing it outside year round, it will eventually catch up with the seasons/climate of your area and it will more closely follow the rainy/drier seasonality of your local area.

BTW - if the nursery in your area says to water them all year then I would listen to them because they likely grow lots of them and are most familiar w/your local conditions and how they impact that particular orchid. They would certainly be more familiar w/your local conditions than any one of us on the other side of the world.

And since we are on the subject...IME, there are very few orchids that actually need a completely dry rest for extended periods. Some of the Aussie natives fall into this group but, otherwise, most orchids will get dew and fog in their native habitats and that definitely provides some moisture to the roots. Maybe not a lot...but they aren't completely dry.

As an example...I even give my Ctsm and Habenaria a little water during their dormant phases. Between the lights and the furnace in the winter...things gets so dry and since switching to a "little sip" (a drizzle of water around the outside edges of the pots) from time to time during their dormancy...I'm finding my plants are healthier and stronger. But, to talk to some growers...any water at all during the winter will kill these quickly...I have not found that to be the case. IMO, I think some of the "no water at all" advice is given for people who grow their orchids under conditions that would expose them to extreme cold during dormancy (outside yr round maybe) and the extreme cold and too wet can be deadly. Most of us will not be exposing our orchids to those extremes so no water at all could, potentially, actually set them back due to severe dehydration.