dendrobium loddigesii needs some help. - Orchid Board

fooferdoggie · #1 10-29-2017, 09:55 PM

I got this guy in June i think and it was still dormant after a month of no leaves I finally started watering it and it started making leaves but really slowly. I think the moss basket just is not doing it. I have one mounted with moss doing well. it never really dries out in the basket.

estación seca · #2 10-30-2017, 03:42 AM

This plant creeps over the surface, making new growth all over the place. I think the roots need to attach to something moist for the plant to do well. Mine looks like yours. I'm going to move it onto a large flat mount with sphagnum and see if it does better.

fooferdoggie · #3 10-30-2017, 10:57 AM

it did not even bloom when it woke up so it is not a happy camper for sure.

bil · #4 10-30-2017, 11:42 AM

Well, I put mine on a branch mount, and it did well, and flowered too. Then this year I saw all the ends had sprouted roots, so cut the rooted ends off (there were about 20) and planted them on my cork wall.

So far they are doing very well.

fooferdoggie · #5 10-30-2017, 11:28 PM

I took it out of the basket and it only had a small amount of roots so I mounted with just a small amount of moss.

katrina · #6 10-31-2017, 06:42 AM

You're going to need a bigger mount. You want to mount on something large enough for future growths to grab onto. When choosing an appropriate mount for orchids, it's best to think in terms of the size the plant will eventually grow in a few years. This den, when happy, is a rampant grower and you want to give it sufficient surface to attach those future roots. Naturally with this type of growth habit, you will have lots of cane growths hanging out in the air but if the mount is large enough, the moisture there will cover the plants needs. That and daily waterimg during the active growing season.

I had mine on a large cholla skeleton that was stuffed full of sphagnum and it completely covered that mount. A friend of mine had her plant mounted on a very large slab of cork. Both plants grew beautifully.

Mine never bloomed well because I wasn't able to give it the proper cool period...but, it grew like a weed.

Maryanne · #7 10-31-2017, 01:36 PM

HI Folks:
My D. loddgesii came on a small cork mount, and I very soon had to move to a driftwood mount ( fresh water, not salt water). I simply fastened the whole cork mount to the found wood. No moss!

In summer I hang it in nearly full sun, and apply fertilizer and hose water copiously. Grows very well, now tripled in size. In winter it's moved to my tiny cool g'house. It gets down to upper 30s sometimes, usually in the 40s at night, and temps up to 80s when the sun shines. Cut back on water during this time, but don't let it dehydrate too much. It will lose some leaves but don't fret. Spring will initiate new leaves and with cluck, flowers : -) I have found this an easy keeper.

Good luck! Happy growing
Maryanne

fooferdoggie · #8 10-31-2017, 01:59 PM

ok a new mount I have lots of bark. but it needs moss in summer the couple plants I have without moss its a battle in summer. humidity can get to 30% in summer here in Portland and even with one dunking and two mistings a day they can dry out.

fooferdoggie · #9 11-03-2017, 02:13 PM

here he is on his new home

rbarata · #10 11-03-2017, 03:07 PM

Taken from Orchidwiz:

"Growers indicate that D. loddigesii is sometimes difficult to bloom and speculate that low light may be the cause. However, if a plant does not bloom, a cool, dry rest should induce flowering."

This is a cool grower and during the cool season they dry slightly between waterings. Also during this period that's when light is stronger. In any other conditions light should be dappled and no direct sun is allowed.