Winter watering

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An OB member sent me a private message regarding winter watering of Dendrobium Angel Kisses and also Cattleyas. I though the topic is something others would be interested in. The questioner's Angel Kisses had dropped all its leaves.

Dendrobium Angel Kisses has Den. moniliforme in its background. It's from Japan, Korea and China, it gets winter rain, and doesn't drop leaves in the winter. My Angel Kisses didn't drop its leaves during the winter. You might have kept yours too dry. I don't think it will be a problem. When it starts warming up it should grow again and be fine. I would still water Angel Kisses through the winter, letting it get almost dry before watering again. Also realize the thin-leafed Dendrobiums are very susceptible to spider mites, which can cause leaf loss.

I think the "dry winter rest" thing for Dendrobiums is a mistake most of the time. A lot of them may get no winter rain, but have so much winter dew they never get completely dry. Others get no rain and no dew. The care sheets written by people who only look at weather reports say they don't get winter rain, so keep them dry. This is a mistake much of the time because it doesn't account for the dew. Hybrids between wet and dry winter species should get winter watering, but don't need as much. They can get dry between waterings.

Only a few unifoliate Catts have completely dry winters. Among them are dowiana, nobilior, walkeriana and warscewiczii. Tiny seedlings of these still need winter water in cultivation.

Bifoliate Catt species mostly have completely dry winters. In cultivation most people spritz the roots, or splash water on them every 2-4 weeks so they aren't bone-dry for long. Do this on a sunny or warm day if possible. But they should not be moist through the winter.

Most hybrid Catts should be watered through the winter, but they should definitely dry out between waterings. Hybrids with mostly bifoliate ancestry should probably be treated like bifoliate species, and get only occasional winter water, on warmer and sunny days.