yellowing leaves on Phal-type Dend?

[Olive Cook]

I'm sure it's probably nothing and normal, since the ones turning are the lowest on the pbulb. But aside from it being "that leafs time" is there anything else that causes it, so that I can try to prevent further loss?

EVERY Dend that I've had slowly but surely lost all of it's leaves in this fashion, and then eventually dies. Before I've found it was partially due to over water (the plant death, not so much the leaf loss).
I don't want to watch this happen again, any ideas?
thanks in advance

[katrina]

Are these the dens you just got?

There are a number of reasons for leaves turning yellow...could be any one of a number of things and/or a combo of things.

Posting a pic could be helpful in diagnosing the trouble.

[Choodles]

If you don't think it's just the effects of time and old age, consider this: a plant will use up what is in an old leaf (nutrients, water, and food) to create new growth (or just maintain life) when it can't otherwise obtain the needed nutrients, water, or food (sugars) through water uptake and photosynthesis. So, if your plant isn't getting (or able to take up or use) enough water or nutrients, it will take them from the old leaves, and said old leaves will usually die as a result. If it isn't able to photosynthesize, or has reduced PS capability, it would then steal the sugars from the old leaves.NOTE: Not all nutrients are mobile (translocatable) within the plant; only the ones that are "mobile" will cause the older leaves to cack off in the event of their deficiency.

I'd say your plant is missing something. (Damn, am I ever perceptive?) What are your conditions-light, temps, fert quantity and frequency, water source...?

Good luck,
Choodles

[Hobby Orchidist]

If the leave turning yellow is not due to under/over watering or just age, it could be temp. Dendrobiums is one of the largest and most diverse group of orchids, so it is hard to generalize. What is the name of the hybrid? However, generally, hard cane dendrobiums are very sensitive to "cold". The ones that I grow will have leaves turn yellow and drop if they get any temp below 60 F

[Olive Cook]

Katrina, I'll work on getting pics up, my camera has been giving me fits And they are two of the new ones

It never gets below 60-65 in my house, I water when they get DRY ('bout every 2 weeks) with tap, and so far once a month with a light dose of Better-Gro Orchid Plus.

Hobby Orchidist, they are turning on both my Burana Emerald Stripe and my Kanjana ? (Kanjana is all the tag says, I know there's more than one) but they are all hard cane Phal-type.

and Choodles, I don't like or appreciate comment's like "(Damn, am I ever perceptive?)". They come across as more rude than helpful. I am still new to this, I'm here to learn and to do so I need to ask questions. If you want to help that's one thing, but if you are going to make comments such as these I'll have to ask you to refrain from commenting on my threads.
Thanks

[Choodles]

Originally Posted by Olive Cook

and Choodles, I don't like or appreciate comment's like "(Damn, am I ever perceptive?)". They come across as more rude than helpful. I am still new to this, I'm here to learn and to do so I need to ask questions. If you want to help that's one thing, but if you are going to make comments such as these I'll have to ask you to refrain from commenting on my threads.
Thanks

I think ya missed my point- I stated that "I'd say your plant is missing something. (Damn, am I ever perceptive?). [as in, gee, ain't I bright, being able to tell you that something is missing, but not what, when you've already stated that you think something is missing] However it came across wasn't my intention. I was making fun of myself for being captain obvious. Sorry to get your hackles up.

[Olive Cook]

here are the pics,they are the best I could do... sadly my phone takes better pictures
pics 1 and 2 are the den. Burana Emerald Stripe, ant the others are the den. Kanjana

[Olive Cook]

I forgot to mention that Ihad another leaf fall this morning, that didn't look yellow at all... I have no idea why it fell, I bumped it while taking the pics and it just fell.
they are all older mature plants, they were when I bought them. And I have no way of knowing if they are diciduous (spelling?) being that mmost of them are NoIDs.


And Choodles, I'm guessing that your brand of sarcasm just doesn't blend well with mine.... like oil and water. It happens. I'm a friendly person, but when something is said or done that offends me, I'm not afraid to speak up. I'd rather not have any issues in the future, so I'm just politely asking that when it comes to me, please think before you type

[Hobby Orchidist]

Olive,

They two hybrids that you mention are sensitive to cold.

I would try five things.

1. Keep them warm. I would try not not let them go below 70 in the coolest part of the year. They could take cooler temps, but the average winter temps in the natural habitat for the main species that are in the background of these hybrids is between 73 - 78 F.

2. During the fall and winter, make sure they dry completely between watering. Do not let them by dry for long periods of time, but make sure they are dry completely before watering. When you do water, water very well. On these types of den's, I will water until the water flows through the pot, wait until all water stops draining, then wait another five minutes, and then I will water AGAIN until the water flows through the pot, then let drain completely.

3. I would not fertilize gain until early spring. My practice on this type is to use nutrocote in early spring (9 month type) once. Here in Miami, that 9 month lasts about 6 months because of the increased heat and rain during the late spring and summer. I do not know your location. If you are not getting high heat (90 plus) in summer, you might want to use 6 month type.
I also use time release magnesium sulfate when I add the nutracote. This means that by October, they do not really have any more feeding again until I reapply in the spring.

4. These type of orchids like to be in small, tight pots. If they are in a pot that is too deep or too big around, the roots will rot and you will get slow death. Repot in spring if you think the pots are too big. I always keep these kind in the smallest pot for as long as I can until I increase the size. When you increase the size, if the depth of your pot is also increasing, try putting several pieces of large chunks of charcoal (not what you barbecue with) in the bottom of the pot before you put your regular media in the pot. When you repot, make sure they are well clipped in. The orchids should not move or rock or be loose. This can cause the roots to chafe away and cause death. If your plant gets high and large to cause the pot to tip; do not move to bigger pot yet. Set the pot inside a larger wooden basket to keep it upright. Then repot the following year.

5. If any of the canes loose all of their leaves, just leave the cane alone as long as it is green. It will continue to help your orchid. Even if you loose all the leaves, keep on caring for it as above (no repoting at this stage), because you may get keikis. I have lost all leaves in extreme cold (I grow entirely outdoors. While I can protect from cold somewhat, if it gets into the 40's which is very rarely, then I have a hard time keeping them above 60.) and I have kept caring for them and have gotten many keikis off of these types of orchids. After the keikis get large enough, I then put in very small pots and in a year or two I have brand new plants that are beautiful.

This is what has worked for me. As a result, I have had awards in particular for my Den Burana Stripe from my local orchid society. You may also want to ask people in an orchid society that is closest to your environment how they care for these orchids

[Olive Cook]

Thank you.
most of them are very top heavy, so I have them staked and in heavy pots to keep from tipping. (they are in 3-4 inch plastic pots inside the heavy)
I repoted two that were in too large pots when I got them, but don't remember which now.
I have a 3 1/2 month old son, so we keep it warm, almost hot at times... but I'd say it's gotten into the low 60's a couple of times.
We get temps upwards of 80's-90's in the summers here, I didn't own them this past season, but will most likely have them outside this coming year.
Hobby Orchidist, I'll follow your watering advice. Watering has been my big issue with Dends in the past, that that advice is greatly helpful