seeking input for dend crepidatum

[lmartiny]

I have had this plant for a few months now. It is very unique and I would really like to keep it alive. I am struggling a bit with it. I repotted into a basket and as yet it has not stabilized.
Some tips of the canes have dried and I snipped. Now one is mushy. I have a fellow geek who also got one and mounted it and has watered much less. Hers is well.
I'm guessing I'm overwatering. (a repot overreaction) ? (or a newbie no no??)
Any suggestions are appreciated.



Mushy tip in the middle

[mgfree]

Being a soft cane, I would not water it at all during winter, maybe just mist it once a fortnight. They need a dry rest to initiate blooms in Spring. Hope this helps.

[rcb]

lmartiny,

I looked up crepidatum in my Dendrobium book for you, and it's recommendations are:

To grow and flower well, crepidatum must be given intermediate to cool conditions with dry resting period in winter and early spring. During the resting period plants should completely dry out and remain dry for at least several days before watering again. When it is growing it needs a lot of water and fertilizer. It recommends either a hanging basket or mount to accomodate pendulous canes. It also recommends bright sunlight or light shade. This is from "Dendrobium and Its Relatives" I paraphrased so I wouldn't have to do a complete citation.

I don't have this one so I have no personal experience with it, but that is the recommendation. I do have a few that are related to it and I grow them mounted, so in the winter they just get a light spritz of water every couple days. The book also mentions that it is a med size Dendrobium. I can't tell from the picture how big yours is, but the book does mention that the canes can get to 45 cm long.

[trinigirl]

Looks like the plant is sleeping since it is still winter. I bet you will see some buds soon.

[lmartiny]

Thanks for your input. I will let it dry out. should I clip off the mushy part?

[kid a]

OH NO!!!! I would cut off the mooshy parts. I hope it makes a comeback for ya! Keep us posted. Hopefully keeping drier will help.

[kid a]

Hey Lynn how is your crepidatum doing?

[LouisW]

Looks like you have it potted in quite a large basket. Dens do not respond well to being overpotted. In fact they much prefer the opposite. I might have that in a pot about a quarter of the size of your basket. I would go so far as to recommend taking it out of the basket and putting it into a tiny pot that just fits the root ball.

Other than that, if you are not already familiar with the annual cycles of nobile-type Dens then you should read up on it right away. Water in the winter easily rots the soft inactive canes and without the dry spell there will not be flowers.

Good luck. Its not too late to get this plant healthy and growing again soon.

[tansyflower]

I don't think it looks that unhealthy.

Dens often look a bit ratty. I would repot in something smaller tho. I wouldn't clip the yellow bit off either (unless u think there is a fungal problem), just leave it to give nutrition back to the new growths..

You may be overfussing!!