Orchid Newb here! my friend just sent me this as a remembrance for the loss of my dog. I’ve never had orchids, I’m usually more of a tropical foliage girl. Am I correct in guessing this is a mini dendrobium? They came stuffed together with an ivy in this ceramic pot. Any tips on light requirements? Should I risk repotting as the medium it’s in looks rather dense and soggy from what I picture orchid medium to be?
You e got some lovely plants there! Dendrobium care is pretty straight forward if you can meet their needs. The most important thing to keep in mind is orchids like their water but the LOVE for their roots to dry out so the media needs to dry out between waterings. The canes of a hydrated plant will be smooth. Thirsty plants will be wrinkled. A little wrinkling is fine. Mine do it between waterings. Just don’t let it get too wrinkled. The type of media dictates how I water. I grow most of my orchids in bark so they dry out reasonably fast in my growing conditions. When the is dry, I soak the pot for 10-15 minutes. Each time I water, I use fertilizer at 1/4 strength (when I’m active growth). Wait until the media dries out before watering again. For my setup, that works out to roughly once a week. Once a month flush with pure water to reduce salt buildup (this is especially important if you are using synthetic fertilizer or have hard water). Light is the real key to flowering. They want a lot of light but no direct sunlight. Mine under grow lights that stay on for 12 hours. If you’re using sunlight, an east window would be ideal, but near a south window or a west with absolutely no direct sun should be fine. They also like to be kept in smaller pots, which I find challenging because they get super top heavy quickly. A heavy cachepots can be very helpful here. Repot every 2 to 3 years or when the media breaks down. Normally I try to repot mine after the last bloom drops, butI agree the media looks super dense so you shouldn’t wait. Start by giving the media a good soak as it makes things easier and the roots are a little more flexible when wet. Take the orchid out of the pot and gently remove the media from the roots. You might use a probe to help tease bits away from the roots. Get as much as you possibly can, but it’s fine if you have to leave a little so you don’t damage the roots. And don’t worry if you damage some roots. It isn’t great but it happens. Just try to minimize as much as possible. Luckily, a healthy plant will produce copious amount of new roots. Examine the roots for health and pests. Trim off any dead or dying roots. Dead roots are papery or mushy, black or brown, or thin filaments. Healthy roots are firm and white. Sometimes they turn green when wet, but I find the change isn’t as dramatic as with phals or Cattleyas. It’s very helpful to use an orchid pot with additional ventilation. They are typically clear so you can monitor root development, and have ventilation holes on the sides of the pot. If you don’t have one, you can add holes to a growers pot or any other plastic pot you have on hand. Size the pot so that the roots just fit in the pot. Like I said earlier, they do better in relatively small pots. Dendrobium roots are thin so the media should be sized accordingly. Media should be course but not too big, and no fines so roots can get good airflow. The orchid bark typically available at your local box store will work as long as it does not contain peat. Think bark, charcoal, pumice, perlite, lava and leca. You can also fine some specialty orchid blends online (RePotMe is good but expensive). If you’re miserly with the water, you might consider some sphagnum but be very thoughtful of that addition to the mix. The key is an airy mix that will allow the roots to dry between waterings. Gently work the media around the roots. I use an old chopstick for the job. The goal is to firmly seat the plant in the pot without packing the media. Remember, these guys get top heavy and a wobbly plant will only lead to heartache. Don’t be afraid to experiment. What works for me and my growing conditions may not be the right fit for you. The best tip for orchids, regardless of type, is learn. Read up on their care if you are so inclined. There are several channels on YouTube with information on orchid care, like Miss Orchid Girl, Here.. but Not, Hello Plant Lovers and Growing Orchids With Roger. Podcasts like Plant Daddy and On the Ledge are useful. The American Orchid Society is another handy resource. I especially like their monthly to do lists. If you really want to dive into the rabbit hole, you can look for orchid societies in your area; nothing can replace interacting directly with growers that have been doing it for years.
5개 좋아요Wow! Thank you so much!
2개 좋아요 Happy to help 😁
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