School me on Dendrobium Nobile

13 years ago

I bought one of these in bloom last year. It's been growing fine in the greenhouse. It surprised me, in that it didn't really start putting out all those new growths until around 6 or 8 weeks ago. I see that some of them are almost as tall as the old canes. It's my understanding that the cains aren't fully mature until they are sort of round and hard on the top of the cain. Is that true? Mine are still showing leaves on the top of the cain. My other question is, do they only bloom on the new growths? Any and all information on this guy is welcome. I'm mostly a paph. grower, so am always willing to learn.

Thanks

Bob in Albany, N.Y.

Comments (3)

arthurm
13 years ago
Bob, the growing isn't the problem, its the cool down and reduced watering that is needed during winter so that the plant will bloom in late spring.

The older type hybrids bloom from the previous year's growth while some of the "modern" hybrids bloom from the growth that matured in Autumn.

Someone living in a climate similar to zone 5 will be able to give you an idea of the cool down and the light required during during winter....but here, where they are garden plants the average winter day temp range is 7 to 17C with many sunny days. They will take night temps down to just above freezing.

Some literature says no water at all, but my small collection growing in a shade-house gets rained on and they still bloom. Perhaps reduced watering is a more accurate guide.
donaldb
13 years ago
Hope this helps. I've got three of these that bloom yearly and are not pa,pered in any way. Presently all are root bound and have been for the past year. The medium they are in: lava rock and bark is still good and seems like I can go another year or two before transplanting. Right now here in Massachusetts they are outside until any frost warnings are posted. I bring them in for the winter when the temps stay in the late 30's at night. While indoors for the winter they are only watered slightly once a month and are kept in a sunroom where the temps vary from the low 70's during the day to high 50's at night. I do not fertilize them until new growth is shown in the spring. They religiously flower every spring and again in the summer. They hang during the winter in a southeast window. There are many articles out on these if you google about. Dr. Wilford Neptune, a deceased MD was a "pro" growing these, and published many articles on growing them. Lots of Luck.
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orchid126
13 years ago
This is general information on the culture of nobiles:

The main growing season for nobiles is from April til August. In August water should start to be slowly tapered off, and fertilizer withheld completely. By Thanksgiving no water at all or very little water (baby sips) if the canes shrivel. During the winter the plants need to be kept cool but at the same time they need as much sun as possible.

After the buds start to show up and down the cane, baby sips of water can be resumed, and after blooming resume water and fertilizer.