This one is a true rescue for me

[lmartiny]

We visited the inlaws last weeked for an early Mothers Day. I noted a Den in a pot of dirt by bushes along the walkway. I pointed out she had an orchid. "Take it" she said.
I dumped it out today to check it out. My husband even asked how the roots were. (he's really learning quick) I said "what roots?" The fact that it was up to an inch into the dirt is what probably held it upright. But the little bugger is putting out a new growth. I soaked it in worm tea and now its sitting bare root. Seems like a good contestant for my next mount effort. I have a neat little piece of wood about 2 in wide and 9 in long. But my instincts say to pot it and try to get some root growth first.
What do you think?
Also, I don't have much den experience. (Heck, I don't have much experience period) I have a couple noids and I don't care for the bare cane look. I have a couple other specialty types that I do like better.




My two dens I had rescued off a mount and repotted.

[benetay]

Great work! I'm sure they will flourish in your hands.

Great growing.

Cheers!

[PhalPal]

I definately would not mount it until you have several good roots actively growing. I have tried a few rescue phals on mounts and they failed miserably!

[hulaorchid]

Good Luck!!!

[davetheorchidaddict]

One thing about Dendrobiums is their ability to recover from almost nothing, good luck with it, that is part of the fun.

[delphiguy]

my experience with dens is that when under stress of dying they seem to produce keikis.
good luck im sure it'll be happy under your care.

[solay]

I don't know which method would be better but I'm sure you can nurse it back to health. The new growth looks promising. Good luck.

[tizzycat]

It will have a much better chance of survival now that you have it.

Good luck,

[Plucky Purcell]

I'd vote potting it up for now, maybe with some sphag. But as my little brain churns, I starting thinking that if it was me I'd mount it and stick the whole thing in a makeshift terrarium for a few months or try a little bag-and-sphag action.

[-k-]

Oh no... that is a poor little one, NICE SAVE!!!! Hope things work out for it... So sad to see such a beautiful plant in that condition....

[lmartiny]

I did decide I should pot it up but Plucky you have me curious now. I've seen mention of spag and bag and terrariums but not knowledgeable about that. It is a neat little piece of wood that needs a smallish starter plant.

Speaking of wood, we collected some cool pieces on our last visit to the east coast. We didn't have room to bring them home but hopefully next trip. Then I'll post some picts.

[patticake]

I think potting up is smart. Good luck with them and keep us posted!

[Blueszz]

I'm sure you will be able to save this one!
I had several den's that looked like this one (Den. phalaenopsis and Den. kingianum) and all sprouted new roots and new growths.

What really did work for me was letting the base rest on moist LFS (sphagnum). I started this treatment during our cold and dark winters but during the spring the canes made some new roots and grew new canes which are rooting also.



The pot in the left upper corner is showing rootles Den. kingianum canes. I kept the moss moist. Once they started rooting I burried the roots in the moss. Last week I could pot several canes which had grown their own roots and new growths with roots.
In the bottom left corner you see some Den. kingianum keikis that I got from a friend (freshly potted) which had enough roots to pot.

I did almost the same with a Den. Phalaenopsis but in plain bark (my prefered medium in the climate were I live). I used zip ties to fasten the rootles cane to the side of the pot. It didn't root from the old cane but started a new growth on the base of the plant, which is spreading it's roots out now. I can make you a picture from this one, if you like. Just let me know. I didn't water the Den. Phalaenpsis at all from november to march, I even didn't spray the medium to keep the surface moist, until the new growth started rooting.

I also tried to lay some canes aside in a dark spot with intermediate temperatures. Did worked too, but I noticed the canes that were kept in higher temperatures did better. I never used the 'sphag and bag' method.

Den's seem to be able to take a huge amount of abuse
Your's even has a new growth, it will make his own roots within now time, wooooow! Just make sure it doesn't wiggle in the pot once the roots dive into the medium, they don't like that (as you probably allready know).

[lmartiny]

Thanks for the info Blueszz. I potted it in soaked bark mix and clamped it down with a pot clip and slipped it in with the other dens.

[Blueszz]

I think it will take of in no time. Any idea what kind of Dendrobium it is? What color it flowers?

Nicole

[lmartiny]

I don't know what it is. Probably your typical garden center variety.

[oncidiumlover]

You can do it!!! That's going to be one fabulous plant when you're done with it! Happy Growing!

[mgfree]

I think potting it is definitely the way to go.

I have a Dendrobium johannis that came to me in the same state about 9 months ago. Looking at it I new that it would be perfect mounted, but I decided to pot it up and let it get going first. I potted it up in a really course mix, in a basket pot as they like to dry off pretty quick and with in a couple of weeks it started to make a comeback and throw out some new growths.

Once the roots started growing I mounted on a small slab of paperbark and this is what it looks like now that I've finally removed the fishing line holding it in place

[amersault]

wow mgfree - look at those wonderfully plump PSBs!

lmartiny - i think letting it root on sphag is better before potting. gives the plant a chance to generate a decent set of roots before putting it in a pot. it also ensures constant moisture to encourage root growth.

i have to second that Dens are amazing - impossible to kill and can bounce back from anything! you'll be fine w/ that and good rescue!

[lmartiny]

Your mount looks great mgfree.
To root on spag just lay it in a container like a plastic lidded strawberry container from the grocery store?

[PhalPal]

Wow, I love your mount!!!! I have never thought of mounting one of my Kingies but I will now!

[Ochin@]

is paperbark the same as Melaleuca? it sure looks like it.....
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought it was best to mount Orchids on hard wood, and Melaleuca seems to me to be everything but that...

melaleuca is an invasive here, so the county cuts them down so it's quite easy to find a piece just lying around......maybe I could try this.....

Have you had success with long term mounts on this?

[jensan]

I have a phal that was given to me. They'd already cut off all the leaves and it only had 2 tiny roots I got it a week ago repotted in hydroton, bark and a little moss. Today I noticed it's putting out a new growth. If it lives I will try a mount

[lmartiny]

Jensan, it seems to be peak "growing" season, with roots and leaves popping out. Now is a good time so you will probably get some nice new growth. Good luck.

[mgfree]

Originally Posted by Ochin@

is paperbark the same as Melaleuca? it sure looks like it.....
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought it was best to mount Orchids on hard wood, and Melaleuca seems to me to be everything but that...

melaleuca is an invasive here, so the county cuts them down so it's quite easy to find a piece just lying around......maybe I could try this.....

Have you had success with long term mounts on this?

This particular species grows on paperbark (swamp) maleulucas. It's common name around here is the chocolate tea tree orchid.

However the other reason I chose paperbark was because eventually this plant may go on a tree in the yard, and my theory is I will be able to remove the plant from the mount with minimal damage a hell of a lot easier than any other type of mount

[Ochin@]

AAAHHHHH......thank you, now I understand.....I really like the way it looks, great rescue there.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by amersault

....Dens are amazing - impossible to kill....

Hmmmm....You've given me a newfound confidence amersault since on quite a number of occasions I have managed to do the impossible! And do it rather quickly in some cases! Why I'm beginning to feel like there's NOTHING I can't do!

[lmartiny]

Kevin, I have a few on the dying list. I'm learning to "get over it."

[davetheorchidaddict]

I have one that had 3 canes and no roots, I hung it in the gh all winter and now it is sprouting roots and keiki's as well. That is what I like about Dens, they are hard to kill. Good luck with your project.