I have an anonymous phal-type dendrobium which has just finished
blooming. It was not in very good shape when I got it so the flowers
were a huge surprise. I would like to know how to encourage new
growth. It hasn't got many roots that are good, but there are a few
skinny little ones with growing tips. Just no shoots yet. Should I
water more, or less, or fertilize more, or...?

Alison

On Sun, 01 Jun 2003 02:54:24 -0400, Alison wrote:

I have an anonymous phal-type dendrobium which has just finished
blooming. It was not in very good shape when I got it so the flowers
were a huge surprise. I would like to know how to encourage new growth.
It hasn't got many roots that are good, but there are a few skinny little
ones with growing tips. Just no shoots yet. Should I water more, or
less, or fertilize more, or...?

Alison


Let it dry out between waterings. Fertilize half strength every other
watering. That's what I do anyway.

Alison,

If I might add to Tom's worthy advice, you might also add a little
spaghnum moss at the top. I also underpot dendrobiriums and use mostly
rock as my medium.

.. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System
http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html -- new version and improvement
over other versions

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Randy wrote:

On Sun, 01 Jun 2003 02:54:24 -0400, Alison wrote:

I have an anonymous phal-type dendrobium which has just finished
blooming. It was not in very good shape when I got it so the flowers
were a huge surprise. I would like to know how to encourage new growth.
It hasn't got many roots that are good, but there are a few skinny little
ones with growing tips. Just no shoots yet. Should I water more, or
less, or fertilize more, or...?

Alison

Let it dry out between waterings. Fertilize half strength every other
watering. That's what I do anyway.

Ditto on the rock, Pam. Especially if the roots are thin, which sounds like
it's been over watered. And, a bit of Rootone or similar when repotting
might be beneficial.

Why the moss, though? I try to let mine dry out some, and it seems that
moss would add moisture fairly regularly.

Just curious.

Diana

Diana Kulaga wrote:
Hi, Diana,
Whereas I pot dendrodriums strickly in orchid rock for the most part, I
have saved many plants by placing a few pieces of spaghnum on top and
then setting the plant on top of the heap and securing it with just a
stick and tie. Usually the roots will start to sprout as well as
leaves. This is true mostly for cattleyas that have had rot problems at
the time of acquisition or have been divided incorrectly -- if the plant
was not a good one when acquired then chances are that it will take time
to regenerate. Unfortunately in the past I gave up some to loss but did
not dispose of them except into a community garbage can -- on the
greenhouse floor with a little moss. Lo and behold, new growths formed
-- with no tag; so, I could not tell you what they are.

.. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System
http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html
-------------------------------------------------------------

Ditto on the rock, Pam. Especially if the roots are thin, which sounds like
it's been over watered. And, a bit of Rootone or similar when repotting
might be beneficial.

Why the moss, though? I try to let mine dry out some, and it seems that
moss would add moisture fairly regularly.

Just curious.

Diana