Orchids requiring a cool, dry winter rest -
I grew as many as 75 orchids inhome for 20 years while living in AK, specializing in species Dendrobiums that were touted to require a cool, dry winter rest.
Most were native to the Himalayan Foothills.
Species are more difficult to deal with than hybrids.
Their cultivation requirements are usually more stringent.
To be honest, I am a species snob, and preferred them to hybrids.
I now live in Hawaii, on the windward side of Big Island with high humidity, warmer temps, and grow many of the same plants as well as others in my yard now.
Because of the local orchid industry, species plants are hard to find here.
Hybrids are everywhere.
While in AK, I followed the cool, dry, winter rest routine religiously, often to the point of being abusive to them:
to dry, too long.
Here in HI, I just throw them outdoors to see how they do and forget them, occasionally looking to see how they're holding up.
We do normally get a winter dry period of a few weeks, as many as 7, often as few as a couple.
I don't track anything less than 2 weeks.
In those winter dry periods, we do get morning dew almost every day with rain occasionally at night.
I am at 750' of elevation, which does modify our temps and humidity.
Summer temps are usually in the low 70*s to the high 90*s.
It rains often both day and night.
Winter temps are usually in the mid 60*s to low 90*s.
Humidity is in the very high 90% RH at night and as low as 65% RH during the day.
Local temps are easily within a normal household range.
Humidity will need to be worked with to approximate, but that's normal for indoor growing.
I've lost many more orchids to eruption effects than to climate.
My only real problem is not being able to get the variety of species I'd like to acquire.
Watering in the dry period is very dependent on humidity, how fast the medium dries out.
It needs to dry out some but not get totally dry, only restricted.
Dry period should begin after the PB has filled out completely, it's growing tip has filled and rounded out.
Leaves will drop from the canes.
In nature, dry periods can last for months.
Inhome, a couple of weeks late in the season can suffice.
Reducing the temps can be much more effective inducing bud development.
Some require a very small drop, others need a bigger drop in temp.
None tolerate freezing temps.
Do not cut water back so far that the PBs are harmed by the water shortage.
Always remember: orchids are pretty tough, they can be abused somewhat without serious harm while figuring it out.
The Baker's book - ORCHID SPECIES CULTURE: Dedndrobium: now out of print for a number of years, but still available, was and still is my Dendrobium bible for their growing conditions.
Last edited by voyager; 11-15-2021 at 04:00 PM..
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