Dendrobium nobile question
 

My Den. nobile is currently flowering. I bought it a year ago and this
is its first bloom. One cane has about 8 flowers on it and another cane
has little buds. I have been watering and fertilizing more now that it
is in flower, but it looks like the new buds are not going to be
flowers, but kei keis. Have I done wrong in watering/feeding too much?

You are doing something right to get it to flower.I don't know about others
in the group,but I don't fertilize as much when they are in flower if I do
it is a higher potash fert when the spike is growing & flowering.Then after
flowering I give them a break and will only water when necessary then start
with a higher nitrogen fert when there are signs of new growth until the
psueodobulbs have matured,then switch to the higher potash fert which
completes the cycle.
It is difficult to generalize what to do as there are that many different
demanding orchids ,but I do this for all my orchids to save the hassle.
One thing I have learnt is if something works don't change it just because
someone else says something else is the best.Some orchids will grow in your
conditions some wont we all have differing conditions so what works for
someone might not for you!
Hope this helps.
--
Thanks Keith,England,UK.
"Lisa" wrote in message
...
My Den. nobile is currently flowering. I bought it a year ago and this
is its first bloom. One cane has about 8 flowers on it and another cane
has little buds. I have been watering and fertilizing more now that it
is in flower, but it looks like the new buds are not going to be
flowers, but kei keis. Have I done wrong in watering/feeding too much?

Lisa ) wrote:
: My Den. nobile is currently flowering. I bought it a year ago and this
: is its first bloom. One cane has about 8 flowers on it and another cane
: has little buds. I have been watering and fertilizing more now that it
: is in flower, but it looks like the new buds are not going to be
: flowers, but kei keis. Have I done wrong in watering/feeding too much?

I talked to Ted Foin of Willowbank Orchids who specializes in Dendrobium
species about how to treat nobile's. He says that if he waters at all while
they're blooming he gets lots of keikis. If he doesn't want keikis he
witholds water during the entire blooming period. Obviously if you're not
watering you're not fertilizing either. IIRC, he doesn't start watering
until new growth begins.

Dave