I think my Dendrobium is unhappy!

[amaliaforce]

I got bored today, and checked all my plants (I really don't know why) for good healthy roots. All my phals were fine, my oncidiums will attach to my desk if I'm not careful, but I think I have a problem with my Den.

It's planted in sphag (I know, I know!!!! I'm repotting soon, as soon as a find a good medium abd work up the fortitude for my first repotting). The plant as a whole seems to be too deep in the sphagnum, like by three or more inches.

When investigating the plant, I saw the very small green leaf - it was level with the top of the moss. I excavated, and found what you see in the pictures.

I have read a couple cases of Dens planted too deeply, resulting in rotting of the stem... obviously I don't want that! Am I right, wrong? What do I do?

[Ellen]

I don't see any new growth on your den, and don't see any rot, either. You're right that it's too deep in the moss, and the pot looks too big. Probably the best strategy is to pull out some of the moss to uncover the bases of the canes, then when new growth starts, transfer the plant to a smaller pot (just big enough for the roots to fit tightly in) with new medium. I use small bark for my dens, and it seems to work OK. Something you might want to investigate with a plant like this is whether it is actually in a smaller pot that has been covered up with moss to make it look "bigger".

[amaliaforce]

I spent about an hour pulling all the excess moss out of the Den's pot. I kept going down until I found the roots (4 inches down!). I kept the roots covered by a thin layer of moss. I've discovered that one on the stalks of the plant is actually a keiki off the main stem. I have such little experience with this genera, I'm leaving it right where it is.
I also found more than half a dozen small (~1/4" dia) round bluish grey things when I was pulling out the moss. They look almost like seeds, and they're kinda squishy... any ideas?

I wouldn't be surprised if that's exactly what was done - adding moss to make it look bigger and better. Plus, it was Home Depot - not exactly quality orchid growers. But this was the only non-phal, and because it was "dying" (what the garden attendant told me) it was $7.

A bit off subject, but I know that Dens typically rest during the winter, so I shouldn't currently be bothered by the lack of growth. When I bought it about three months ago, it had just dropped its very last purple flower.
When should it begin growth again, and what can I do to encourage it?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Be patient. It will come when the plant is ready. Sould be with in the next couple of months. Moss can be too wet when the plant is resting. You want the plant to go very dry, then water, but since moss will hold so much water that the pot will not dry in a reasonable amount of time, I would recommend a short ration of water when it is time, so that the moss only gets a little damp.

[amaliaforce]

Thanks Cynthia,
Now that I've pulled 4 inches of moss out of the pot, I think keeping it mostly dry will be a heck of a lot easier. I was only watering every one and a half to two weeks - as soon as all the moss was dry.

Is there anything I need to do temperature wise to encourage it? I've heard some people recommend cooling it down for a few weeks. This is my one and only Den (first in the family, too), so I'm hazy on its needs.
I'm not trying to rush it into blooming, but I don't want to stand in its way either...

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

No, don't cool this one down. It is the warm growing type, not a nobile that likes being cooled down. Need to be patient. That is what we learn as orchid growers. Your plant will spend all summer growing, and in the late fall can be expected to bloom.

[amaliaforce]

Wow, you got it. Officially leaving it right where it is.

How did you know it's a warm growing type? I've been wondering about that for ages!

The plant is actually dropping a small leaf right now... it's the lowest leaf on one of the thin stalks, but from what I've read, a lot of Dens do this, so I shouldn't be concerned?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Your Den has thick leather like leaves. Nobiles have thin floppy leaves, and usually a little longer. If you have any old bloom stems visable, warm Dens bloom out the top of canes, nobiles along the side of the canes.