Hi
I recently bought phrag besseae but am confused how much I should water it. Its in a bark based compost but how dry should I let it get before watering.
Also the dend was a free keiki. Should I be keeping it dry because of winter rest of should I water it about once a week thanks for any advice
Alice

On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 23:26:05 GMT, alice83
wrote:

Hi
I recently bought phrag besseae but am confused how much I should water
it. Its in a bark based compost but how dry should I let it get before
watering.
Also the dend was a free keiki. Should I be keeping it dry because of
winter rest of should I water it about once a week thanks for any
advice
Alice

Standard thought is that Phrag besseae would like to be slightly
moist at all times. It wants a free draining mix that does not
get heavy or closed to air flow, but it wants the ability to find
water. Many here grow them in semi-hydro. See an explanation at
www.firstrays.com

Not knowing what type of Den you have, it is impossible to advise
anything. Do you have any identification? The group known as
Dendrobium is the (or one of the) largest groups know. The
requirements vary greatly. What were the flowers like that you
saw displayed on the other Den where you got it?

SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

Also the dend was a free keiki. Should I be keeping it dry because of
winter rest of should I water it about once a week thanks for any
advice
Alice
--
alice83


Den Stardust is one of the early miniaturized, nobile type dendrobiums. If
given a drop in temperature in the fall for about two weeks it can then be
grown at any temperature and does not need the intense drying of standard
nobiles. Regardless, you are dealing with a recenly removed keiki, and should
be treating it like a small seedling. I would water and feed it, so as to
minimize as much stress as possible.
I personally do not remove these keikis until after the third new growth, at
which time they are blooming size and have been nurtured by the mother plant
for a prolonged period. You are now going to need to grow it for a prolonged
period before it flowers.

Also the dend was a free keiki. Should I be keeping it dry because of
winter rest of should I water it about once a week thanks for any
advice
Alice
--
alice83


Den Stardust is one of the early miniaturized, nobile type dendrobiums. If
given a drop in temperature in the fall for about two weeks it can then be
grown at any temperature and does not need the intense drying of standard
nobiles. Regardless, you are dealing with a recenly removed keiki, and should
be treating it like a small seedling. I would water and feed it, so as to
minimize as much stress as possible.
I personally do not remove these keikis until after the third new growth, at
which time they are blooming size and have been nurtured by the mother plant
for a prolonged period. You are now going to need to grow it for a prolonged
period before it flowers.

Thanks for the advice hopefully they with be alright as had been spraying them regularly so with give them more water now,
thanks Alice