New To Orchids

[Revo]

I just got a orchid from my grandmother since she knows I like plants. The only thing is I never had a orchid before and no idea what to do with it. The only thing I got with the plant was its name and cant find any care sites with that name. It is D. C.K. ai 'Oka' x canaliculatum. Any help would be appreciated and sorry if it is already mentioned just thought I ask since I cant stay on the computer long enough to browse the forums.

Thanks

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Well, I am quite surprised, there really is a registered Dendrobium with the name Den C. K. Ai. Your plant has a proper name it appears. It is Dendrobium Pumpkin Patch. I checked on the parentage, and your plant is 1/2 canaliculatum, and this is probably the major influence in its cultural needs, 1/8 each D. phalaenopsis, D. discolor, D. tokai, and D. schulleri.

Canaliculatum expects to be very dry during winter, but the others range from 'slightly dry in winter' to 'never let them dry out completely'. So I would recommend that you do what is recommended for most warm growing hybrid Dendrobiums and keep it at least damp while growing and blooming, then let it start to dry out before watering as soon as the latest new growth has openned its last new leaves. During winter, let it go dry for a few days to a week before watering. Watch out that the new growth, when it starts, doesn't stay wet for any length of time until it is a couple of inches long, as canaliciulatum expects to be dry at that time and it is reported that the new growths rot easily. High light, especially in winter, and normal room temps all year. Also, don't fertilize when not growing (winter).

When you water any orchid, you want to water it very thoroughly, let it drain, then just wait until the potting medium has reached the desired degree of dryness. Do a search on 'skewer' to read about a means of determining how dry the inside of the pot is. A cup of mixed fertilizer solution can be dumped in to the pot after watering. Use 1/2 or 1/4 strength once or twice a month. When we say high light for orchids, we mean something like 40 to 50% of full sunlight, or filtered light. Low light, as for Phalaenopsis orchids, would be 10 to 20%, or indirect light.

Cynthia

[Revo]

ty cynthia I probably got something messed up in the search for the info. Thanks for your reply though and ill keep tring. So should i use a certain fertilizer or can i use regular miracle grow for them?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Meracle grow is fine if you are using tap water. Generally you want to use a general purpose or balaced fertilizer, like 20,20,20 or 19,15,17, well, I hope you get the idea with this made up number, not 10,30,10.

I got this info on the parents of your plant at the RHS, Royal Horticultural Society site, http://www.rhs.org.uk/research/regis...chidsearch.asp. If you are looking for cultural info on your Dendrobium, try searhing on Dendrobium "phalaenopsis type", or Dendrobium "warm growing" or just canaliculatum. Cynthia

[Revo]

Thanks again Cynthia you been a great help. I am just worried about me killing this plant. I moved it 3 times to try to put it in a place it would be more comfortable with its climate needs. Right now im not sure if it will get enough light because im in a downstairs/ basement apartment. I had it in the living room but there is just the east facing window and its cooler there so I moved it to my room where there is a little window that I think is facing south east and my room is warmer. Then I haven't watered it since I got it because I am nervous on getting root rot. I believe the medium is charcoal type. Thing is should I water it? Its been about 3 days since I got it. I also only have a ceiling fan in my room would that be enough circulation? The fan isn't hiting the plant directly is that ok? My room is also dry so i need to buy a humidity tray or something but will it be ok for a little bit without it. Also on the side of the pot there is like a white film I thought it was mold but I dont think it is but i could be wrong . Well just wanted to tell u my situation and thank you again appreciate it very much.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

About the only things that actually kill orchids are over watering, severe sunburn, and unchecked insect attacks. The rest just affect how fast it grows and whether or not the plant blooms. Low on the list of damaging an orchid are not watering enough, not fertilizing, not enough light, not enough humidity (for most orchids, including yours), and not enough air circulation (provided the plant isn't wet all the time or with 100% humidity).

So, I suggest you get some skewers from the grocery store and put a resh unhandled one into the pot and leave it there until you want to check for moisture in the pot. When the skeweer is completely dry, it is probaly time to water, but note my recommendation above to water more in the summer while growing or in bloom, and a lot less in the winter. I wouldn't worry about the humidity. Many people here in dry Arizona don't do anything to raise the humidity. Cynthia

[Revo]

Hi Cynthia,
I know my questions are rebundent but I just want to make sure I get this right. I forgot to mention that when I got the plant it had a lot of roots not covered by any medium. Do you think I should wait to repot it? Also I guess my grandmother got it with the small plastic pot cracked and the plant when moved a bit falls over. I still haven't watered it yet and the plant seems fine so far so tomorrow im going to water it for the first time. I am going to boil a whole kettle of water and leave it over night to get room temp. Then in the morning water the orchid. Is this ok to do? I just dont want to go crazy as of now and buy speacial water and I have no rain water.
I moved it again to my living room, I must seem crazy! The window i had it in u can never see it and I want to show it off. So now it is in a north facing window. It will get good circulation as of now since i keep the windows open almost all the time. In winter I might just keep a small fan next to it. I wanted to see what that site said about my plant but i couldn't find anything because i have no idea what grex and genus is and what to put where. I also cant find any pictures of my orchid. I dont even know how the flowers look because it bloomed already and flowers where off it.
Also I am thinking of putting it outside in the summer time. Any tips on how to do that? Also how to prevent the bugs from getting to my plant without harm of the orchid.

Thanks you for your patience and kindness

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I think boiling the water is much too much trouble. I used to water my plants with water in Los Angeles that was mostly Colorado River water, with chlorine and all. I think Dendrobiums are fairly tough plants.

I think a north facing window is not going to be enough light. Your plant will probably grow OK, but it is very unlikely to bloom. The best would be a window with direct light thru a filmy curtain. When the light shines on the plant, feel the leaves. They can be fairly warm, but not hot to the touch. You don't have your location in your profile, so it is hard to comment on putting your plant outside, but probably the answer is to just treat it with an insectacide before bringing it inside in the fall. Otherwise, just treat it when you see a problem. Cynthia

[Revo]

Well ok thats good then, but the boiling doesn't bother me since I boil water for my tea . That is good to know though. I live in boston mass, I might have to put the plant upstairs with my grandparents. I didn't want to do that because they have 5 cats and sometimes eat plants once in a while. Also should I repot if the roots are all showing on top? I might do it since it is coming out of the pot. You been a great help cynthia .

[jerrymeola]

Revo

I will get you a photo of the orchid this weekend. If you want to send me an email I can send it sooner, but I am out of town and the only copy I have is too large to post on the bulletin board. jerrymeola@hotmail.com

D. C.K. ai 'Oka' x canaliculatum is not the same as the D. C.K. ai 'Oka'. I own both of them and they are quite different.

D. C.K. ai 'Oka' x canaliculatum is my wife's favorite den and now is a huge specimen plant. The plant is usually in flower from July to September, easily making it one of the longest lasting flowers in my collection.

Canaliculatum is a group of orchids in a specific type but in this case it refers to the species orchid Den. canaliculatum, which has been crossed with D. C.K. ai 'Oka' , another Dendrobium.

The plant is extremely hardy and will take any kind of neglect you give it. I water mine with very hard alkaline well water and it has tripled in size in the three years we have it.

The roots will grow out of the pot. It is the nature of the plant. Mine has never been re-potted. The roots are about 15 inches above the top of the pot and there are more roots out of the pot then in the pot. I use it as my example of dens not liking to be re-potted.

It is 36 inches high and when not tied up it spreads about 45 inches. It puts out flower spikes about 30 inches long with 25-35 flowers per spike on a mature plant. My plant will put out 8-12 flower stems a season.

I have it in temperatures as low as 28 for a night and as high as 100 for a month. I water mine daily as it is the equivalent of growing bare root when it is so pot bound.

It will respond to almost any care and give you a lot of pleasure.

[Revo]

Thanks Jerry,
That picture u sent me was great. I cant wait to see mine bloom now . Do you have any pictures of them growing new flower stems? I think mine might be growing one but not sure.

[Revo]

Hi everyone,
Just wanted to update everyone on my orchid. I got the orchid in an east window now. It has servived 2 waterings so far. I been watering it every friday since I didn't have the skewers yet. I got the skewers now and I put one in the medium but I just picked the skewer up and this white stuff is on it. I felt it and it seems to be like salt but also looks like white mold. Also one leaf is all yellow and looks ready to fall. I also noticed 2 more turning a little yellow. It is the lower leaves but the 3rd one seems pretty new in growth. I think it may be from me moving it around tring different locations for light. Hopefully it will be ok. Ill give another update in a week or 2.

Some dens are deciduous and lose their leaves. I'm not sure about yours.

[Revo]

Well long time no see everyone . I been a bit busy. So far I dont think my orchid is doing so good . It sure is growing slow and I got one new growth and it failed to stay healthy. The lower leaves on the new growth are green but in the middle the leaves turned brown and dried out.I am not sure what is going to happen to it. It does have plenty of air roots though so I guess the plant is ok. I am going to increase the watering and just got fert by schultz 19-31-17 and see how it goes.

[fred]

Revo
What would help us to help you with the right advice can you go into your user setting and update your Profile with your Location

as we are members from all over the Globe with different growing conditions

[Revo]

I put in my location Fred, To tell you the truth im going to try and water the plant more and give it more fert. I got the schultz orchid food, when I moved I didn't bring my fert and always forgot to buy some more. I just think I am real bad with Orchids I am kinda giving up on this one since I got a new type of orchid that might be easier for me but we will find out.

[fred]

I dont think anyone is bad with orchids understanding an orchids culture is half the battle.

Most of us have lost an orchid or two I call that the learning process

[Revo]

Thanks Fred this one will be the first one I have killed if I cant get it to perk up.

[cupcake]

Your Grandmother is a wonderful woman! I wish I'd been infected with the orchid illness when I was young!With luck I may have another 30 years! Judi

[Revo]

Hi Judi,
Yes my grandmother is cool, both my grandparents like plants so they got me liking house plants when I was very small . They also grow tomatoes and peppers a lot. My Grandmother had very nice orchids but they never bloomed for her, she ended up giving a lot of her house plants away as she got older now including her orchids. I might actually buy her one maybe get her into them again .