Den questions

[Orchid_lady]

Like phals, do dends need a cool period to set a spike?

Rain is heading in my area, I have a den that lives outside, question is, Is it okay to leave it in the rain? Will the roots receive some kind of shock with the cold rain water, since I water it with warm water?

[jerrymeola]

Your dens will love the rain. I will get about 12-20 inches next month and with heavy fertilizer I can double the size of my young dens (just put out about 1000)

Most common dens do not need a cool rest. Nobiles (the flower grows from the cane not a stem) are often given as an example of a type that want a cool rest but I find the temperature is not too important, especially for ones grown outdoors. In genral it is good to reduce fertilizer on all orchids in winter when they are not growing rapidly.

If your dens are outside the normal temperature variations will be fine for flowering

Common dens grow flowers on stems (developed for the cut flower business) They can flower year round depending on local temperatures. This one blooms every six months in Florida, more often in the even temperatures of Hawaii.





Nobile dendrobiums grow flowers out of the stem during the late winter early spring. Many are very fragrant. Den Red Emperor is an extremely fragrant one.

[Orchid_lady]

Thanks Jerry, youre amazing.