Yamamoto Dendrobium

[Sharyn]

I believe that my Dendrobium Oriental Smiles is a Yamamoto den. It was watered with worm tea a few days ago. The advice here on the forum was to stop fertilizing nobile dens after August.

#1 Since worm tea is also a fertilizer, does this mean it should not be used any more until spring on this particular nobile den?

#2 Cooling off period is a month of temps of 50F or less. Is that correct?

#3 Unlike other nobile dens, it has been stated that this Yamamoto type DOES need to be watered slightly over the winter. If so, what's my indicator as to when the plant needs a little water? Do I let it get really dry for weeks at a time and then water, or longer periods?

[kmarch]

Hi Sharyn,

To clarify, there is no such thing as a "Yamamoto-type" Den. in the sense that we have phal-type and nobile-type Dens. Yamamoto is a famous grower and breeder of nobile-type Dendrobiums (as you probably know). So if someone says they have a Yamamoto Den it means it came form him, not that it's a particular kind of Dendrobium as being seperate form nobile or phal or other types of Den. You probably know all this but I just want to keep things clear for anoy others who happen to be reading the thread.

I have read posts form Jerry indicating that nobile-type Dens that come from Yamamoto are not as particular about their dry period and don't seem to be adversely affected by year round watering (although less in winter). They are, nonetheless, nobile-types and so that should probably be the point of reference for culture.

The thing about not fertilizing from August on (Northern Hemisphere) comes from the fact that many nobile-types will throw keikis instead of bloom if they receive too much nitrogen in Autumn/Winter. I don't know how much nitrogen worm tea contains. As it is usually used in a fairly diluted state, I wouldn't think it would contain much. Hopefully Jerry will be along soon to comment.

Cheers

[Sharyn]

Hi Kevin. Yes, I knew that Yamamoto was the grower and I didn't word that very well. Thanks for clarifying that for other members - hope I didn't cause too much confusion. My main concern is the watering and whether I can do so with the worm tea.

[tom499]

Do the plants slow their growth in that period? IF they do my say would be to lessen the amount of tea used as the plant will not use as much of it, and it will be washed through with the next watering and wasted.

[kmarch]

Tom, nobile-types are finished with their growth cycle by that time so there's little if any growth at all.