Spent flower on Den Nobile

[gracen]

Hi,

I'm a newbie and found this forum having googled around for what to do with my Dendrobium Nobile.

I purchased my first orchid last Nov full with white blooms (see pix). The flowers dried off instead of becoming limpy like most flowers. Some of them dried close to the bark but some left green stick that never died back.

Waht am I supposed to do with them? (see pix). Shall I cut them? I read that Den Nobile will flower again from old growth that previously has flowered. Will this green growth prevent further flowering?

I'd love to have some advice pls.

I'm happy however that I'm seeing buds forming on 2 new growths that have been growing since last winter.

We have 3 new growths (keikis?) starting spring this year and it's big and half the length of the full size one. No buds on these ones.

Thanks in advance for your share of knowledge.

[dtje2000]

Hi Grace, and welcome to the family. I know that some geeks with far greater experience than me will hop on to help you out...my dendrobium care is pretty minimal, and my experience is limited to the varieties that flower from infloresences as opposed to flowering from the cane itself. Good luck with your plant!

[berniep]

G'Day Grace

Welcome to the forum, I enjoy it here and am sure you will also. A handy site for info on these is Soft Cane Dendrobiums but remember this is for Australia so just turn the seasons around.

cheers
Bernie

[digitalgate]

that is nobile type dendrobium. They behave exactly like what your plant is doing. Right now you might want to slightly reduce watering as temperature is lower and light is lower in your area. No point watering as the plant is not in active growing mode. When spring arrive increase watering and raising temperature will force the plant to grow keiki , fertilize with growth fertilize (availabe at good nursery web site).
of course when you are starting don't expect good result . By trial and error and ask us again you should be on your way to getting new plant from old.

[kmarch]

Hi gracen and welcome ot the forum!

Originally Posted by gracen

...I'm a newbie and found this forum having googled around for what to do with my Dendrobium Nobile.

What you have is actually a nobile-type dendrobium rather than Dendrobium Nobile. There is a difference but I won't go into those fine details at this point.

Originally Posted by gracen

Waht am I supposed to do with them? (see pix). Shall I cut them? I read that Den Nobile will flower again from old growth that previously has flowered. Will this green growth prevent further flowering?

Nobile-type dendrobiums will reflower off old canes (growth) but not spend inflorescences, the short little dried-up stems coming off the cane. You can snip the dried up inflorescences off if oyu like or just leave them. I dont' bother to snip mine off unless I am showing or photographing them.

Do not however cut off the canes. They will loose their leaves after one or 2 years but even leafless they can flower and they provide support (nutrients, moisture) for the rest fo the plant.

Looking at your pictures, it looks like your canes are quite shriveled. In the case of nobile-type dens this usually means underwatering. Nobile type dens go through distinct growing and flowering cycles. The general rule of thumb for watering is to water heavily in spring summer when the plant is in active growth. In autumn as the growth finished, gradually reduce watering. In winter water veyr little, only enough to prevent the canes form shriveling. The plant will bloom in late winter or early spring. When it starts to grow again increase watering again until it is in full growth adn you are again wateirng heavily.

Also in winter, when you watering is reduced, let it get cool. Quite cool. It cantake temps as low as 5-10C. That's what mine get outside in the winter here in Melbourne. Also in addition ot keeping them dry and cool, give it good light. Some hybrids do not need to be kept as dry or as cool in order to flower but even with these hybrids you can follow the general rule fo thumb and have good results.

Originally Posted by gracen

We have 3 new growths (keikis?) starting spring this year and it's big and half the length of the full size one. No buds on these ones....

Usually with nobile-type dens, keikis indicate either too much high nitrogen fertilizer or using it too late in the season, or too much water during their winter cool, dry, rest.

[gracen]

Hi dt, bernie, and digitalgate,

Thanks for all your replies and the link from Bernie.

I'm still not clear though what I shall do with the leftover stick from the spent flowers. Shall I leave it or cut it flush to the cane?

Thanks

[dtje2000]

If it were my plant, I wouldn't cut anything. My rule of thumb is, until I know for sure that I'm not doing something untoward, I tend to leave things as they would have occurred naturally... i.e. no 'grooming' done in nature to my knowledge! Unless I'm performing surgery to remove something that looks like it could spread and do worse damage than by leaving it be, I don't cut anything off. My only two exceptions is I will snip off the dried up and brown flower spikes that are clearly no longer useful; and I will snip off a still-green flower spike if the plant looks too distressed to support both the flowers and it's foliage.

Take all of the above my comments with a grain of salt, though. I've only been at this a couple of years and I'm still making as many mistakes and I am having successes!

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by gracen

I'm still not clear though what I shall do with the leftover stick from the spent flowers. Shall I leave it or cut it flush to the cane?

Originally Posted by kmarch

You can snip the dried up inflorescences off if you like or just leave them. I dont' bother to snip mine off unless I am showing or photographing them.

.....