Dendrobium canes,

[aelliott]

Being new to Orchid growing I was wondering what to do about the old canes.
Do you leave them on the plant?

[tansyflower]

Yes, you leave them on til they are (up to) a few years old. They supply the plant with stored up energy and if you are lucky they will produce keikis, which are mini plants, that after a while you can seperate. There are various methods to make dens produce keikis.

Also, with dens, the old canes sometimes flower. Some flower from new canes and some flower and then re-flower from old canes. It depends on the type.

Actually you don't really need to cut the olds off (I think???), it's more of an aesthetic thing. Sometimes they just deteriotate to the stage where they pretty much disintegate and come off in your hand.

[digitalgate]

Dendrobium has nobile and Phal Den type. For nobile don't cut it will bloom on leafless cane. For Phal dendrobium , count three bulb backward from the newest cane and cut at the base of the cane connecting to the other 3 cane. You wait for a few months and you will get new plant from old cane. In this case you do not cut the root.

Since you are new to growing orchids, I would suggest hang around the forum until you are comfortable enough to do that. Otherwise you might end up hurting the new cane.

[aelliott]

Thanks for the info Tansyflower and best whishes from the UK.