Loads of questions about my first orchid, need advice...

[nays]

So I found this weird looking bulbous plant at a local school's plant sale. The volunteers running it had no idea what the plant was and had put it with the succulents. I thought maybe it might be an orchid, and took it home for the princely sum of $1.

From pics and suggestions I've mustered up so far, I think it's a dendrobium, possibly a kingianum? It was originally in a plastic pot with poor drainage and standard peat-based potting mix, I've cleaned off the roots and repotted into bark type orchid mix. They are overpotted for now, had no pots smaller than 5" but will get some asap.

There were actually two separate plants - the first (not pictured) was a well-rooted keiki with a piece of the old cane attached, and the second was a piece of cane with two keikis attached, the upper one still 'aerial' and the lower one completely buried beneath the mix! The buried pseudobulbs were yellow, but all three keikis have new growths and healthy roots.

My questions are:
1. Opinions on whether I've IDd these correctly? I know nothing about orchids, and most pics don't clearly show the pseudobulbs which is pretty much all I've got to go on right now...
2. The keiki that's up in the air - when should I pot that up? Lots of little roots but the longest is only an inch, is that enough? Also the keiki beneath it has no leaves, should I wait until it grows some before I remove the upper one?
3. Are these likely to be okay outside temperature wise? I'm in NZ, mild temperate, only get light frosts in winter and have wide eaves, so they won't freeze.
4. How much light should I be giving them? Currently they're inside getting a few hours of direct light first thing, then bright light.
5. There are those brown and black patches on the leaves, wondering if it's just sunburn (they got a LOT of sun up until a week ago) or a fungal infection. I can see it just starting on some leaves since the plant has been brought inside. Does sunburn just take a little while to show up? Or should I give them less light? Or is this disease spreading? If so, what steps do I take?

If anyone actually read all of that, thanks so much for taking the time! I'd be so grateful for some help.

[terry_sealey]

My guess would be
1......a dendrobium but I have no idea what type.

2.... leave the keiki until the roots are longer say 2 inches then pot up separately, from the pic the keikis all seem to be growing from 1 point. I would be tempted to leave them as a single clump when potting on.

3....& 4........ no idea what temps are like in NZ but here in the UK mine would be indoors as soon as the night temps fell into the low teens C. I would not want it to be anywhere near a frost. Lots of light in a window sill.



5.....The middle picture looks like sunburn on the leaf it happens usually when they get too much direct sun too quickly, but I am not at all sure what the problem is on pic 3. My inclination would be to give it a spray with a fungicide.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by nays

1. Opinions on whether I've IDd these correctly? I know nothing about orchids, and most pics don't clearly show the pseudobulbs which is pretty much all I've got to go on right now...

It's definately a dendrobium and you're probably right that it's Dendrobium kingianum, if not them most certainly a kingianum hybrid.

Originally Posted by nays

2. The keiki that's up in the air - when should I pot that up? Lots of little roots but the longest is only an inch, is that enough? Also the keiki beneath it has no leaves, should I wait until it grows some before I remove the upper one?

Couple thoughts: sometimes kingie keikis go a long time with no roots. They get fed form the mother plant and so don't really have reason to become self-supported. Also, older keikis grow new growths just like a seedling will griw new growths so the smaller keiki might be a second growth off one of the more mature keikis. Unless the mother plant is dying there's no real rush to take them off and pot them up.

Originally Posted by nays

3. Are these likely to be okay outside temperature wise? I'm in NZ, mild temperate, only get light frosts in winter and have wide eaves, so they won't freeze.

Den kingianum is native to Australia and we all grow it outside here, even in the cooler poats fo the country like Melbourne and Hobart.My kingies grow outside and it gets well into the single digits in winter here in Melbourne. It got down ot about 5C this past winter. I think you could grow them outside year round if you give them a little protection from the frost.

Originally Posted by nays

4. How much light should I be giving them? Currently they're inside getting a few hours of direct light first thing, then bright light.

I grow my kingies under 70% shade cloth. They get bright indirect sun in summer, and I can give them direct sun in the winter.

Originally Posted by nays

5. There are those brown and black patches on the leaves, wondering if it's just sunburn (they got a LOT of sun up until a week ago) or a fungal infection.

The leaf that has the bleached out spot is sun burnt. The other leaf pictured shows fungal spotting. The fungal spotting can be caused by being too moist while cool or with inadequate air circulation. As mine grow outdoors, I never have trouble with fungal spotting but I do have to be careful of sunburn in the hottest parts of the summer.

Originally Posted by nays

I can see it just starting on some leaves since the plant has been brought inside. Does sunburn just take a little while to show up? Or should I give them less light? Or is this disease spreading? If so, what steps do I take?

Sunburn does take a day or two to show up. As for the fungal spotting, I'd either increase air circulation and/or apply a good fungicide. Also take care that the leaves are nto wet over night.

Originally Posted by nays

If anyone actually read all of that, thanks so much for taking the time! I'd be so grateful for some help.

It's our pleasure and welcome to the forum!

[Schlyne]

I think Kmarch has answered your questions better than I could have at the moment. I'm still new to the world of dens. Picture 2 with the bleached out spot is definitely sunburn.

[mytwogirls]

Welcome! I have NO advice for you, but great job rescuing! Again, welcome aboard!

[nays]

Ok I feel like I sort of know what I'm doing now (touch wood!)... will have to experiment a bit to get the light at the right level for them, once I find the right spot I'll be sorted. Thanks so much guys! You've been so helpful.

[berniep]

G'Day Nays

Welcome aboard, as previously stated Kmarch has answered most of your questions, so enjoy your orchid.

Cheers
Bernie

[davetheorchidaddict]

Kmarch, thanks I learned some things from this, you are better to answers because you are much closer and have identical seasons.