Dendrobium too heavy

[rthomas268]

Hi everyone,
I have an ancient dendrobium that I got from my mother who passed in 2006. I have kept it and have repotted it a few times and it has produced offspring.
The last time I potted it I placed all the plants in a rectangular planter pot. And yes they bloom every year in November thru January.
I allow the plants to grow naturally without any staking. As a result the stalks grow out and downward.
One plant has grown large, heavy stalks that this year has pulled the plant out of the planter. The two very heavy stalks have bloomed twice and different lengths along the stalk and show no signs of dying.
So I need to either replant and anchor it with wire into the bottom of the pot (like I would do for a bonsai) or go ahead and cut the stalks (they are about 3 feet long and an inch in diameter). I have never cut live stalks so need advice pronto!

Thanks,
Barbara

[estación seca]

That's beautiful.

I would do anything else before cutting stalks. Wiring at repotting should work. You can use multiple stakes at different locations in the planter. Many people tie multiple canes together so it is easier to keep the plant compact and upright. In the future I suggest tying new growths to stakes as they grow so you can keep them upright, then tying them into a bundle of the older canes.

[WaterWitchin]

I'm definitely with Estación on that! Oh please don't cut the canes. I have a couple of dendrobium that want to sprawl everywhere, but I don't have the available real estate they want to take up. My exuberant growers are resigned to knowing they will be staked, tied, etc., even though that's not my normal style. I'm more of an unclipped hedge kind of grower. But better to be restrained than have your wings clipped.

[Waterdog111]

I have to agree that cutting such a wonderful plant would be a shame. Boy does that remind me of changes I’ve seen done in the past that was a terrible lost of some otherwise beautiful possibility. To long a story to go into.

[dimshane]

I have a question about light. Could it be that the style of growth is as a result of the canes growing sideways towards the available light? I find dendrobiums that get a good several hours of light from above tend to grow fairly upright, though some heavy canes might droop no matter what you try to do. Could your orchid be receiving most of its light from an angle? Speaking from my limited experience. Just things to consider as future canes grow.

[Waterdog111]

Thats an angle to consider.

[Roberta]

That could certainly be the issue... some Dens are actually pedant, with rather limp canes, but not this type. Nore light from above (these are fairly high-light plants) might help a lot.

[Waterdog111]

Ive, personally tryed taking a few of mine outside but I have to be careful, with all the rain in spring here, the sun can get really strong without due protection.