Our Dendrobium Orchid Care Guide

Dendrobium orchids are one of the most common types of orchids available to the average buyer. They are best grown indoors in a bright location with no direct sunlight. They grow especially well indoors because their natural habitat is essentially the same as humans are accustomed to.

This genus of Orchids contains over 2300 species that grow throughout Asia and Australia. The name Dendrobium is Greek and translates to”one who lives on trees”, because they live latched onto trees in the dense jungle canopy.

Water

Your Dendrobium orchids should be watered in the morning so that the leaves are dry again by night. Your growing medium is what determines how often you water them. If you are using bark or other mediums that do not contain water, increase your watering. For the most part, two times a week will be plenty.

Wait for Dendrobium to be almost dry before deciding to water again, straying away from a schedule if possible. When it is time to water your orchid, put it in the sink and let water run through the pot to remove all the excess salts from your last watering. When you are down, let the excess water run out and put the plant back where it belongs.

Light

Your orchid won’t do well with direct sunlight, so keep it away from sunny windows. They do prefer to get as much direct sunlight as possible though. They are native to jungles with plenty of light, yet are shaded by the tree canopy.

Temperature

Keep them indoors and away from drafty windows that may get cold at night. It is best if you keep your orchid in the 65 to 75 degree window if you can. Higher temperatures can be tolerated with added humidity, but it is not safe to go any lower than 65.

Fertilizer

Orchids like to be fed with special orchid fertilizer once a month to help encourage growth. The fertilizer should be pretty balanced, so look for something like 20-20-20. Do not over fertilize your Dendrobium orchids or you can kill the roots, most experts suggest using ¼ strength.

Growing Phases

Summer to fall: Commonly referred to as the growing period, this is where your Dendrobium orchids will grow in size. You will see more surface roots, more leaves, and maybe some offspring.

Late fall to winter: During this time, your orchid will be dormant. Essentially, this is a nap period for your plant so that it can build up for what’s next.

Winter to spring: This is the flowering phase for this orchid type. Once they sense the cold is coming, they start to flower and soak up as much sun as they can. Flowers will last a while if taken care of properly.

Tips

– Repotting is easy, just make sure you don’t go with a large pot. That is one of the biggest mistakes people make because they aren’t aware that Dendrobium orchid grow by hanging onto trees in the wild. We put them in a pot to make it easier for us and a larger pot still stunt growth.

– Fill a shallow tray with pebbles and keep it filled with water. This will act as a humidifier and provide humidity bubble around your Dendrobium. This is especially helpful if you are exposing your orchid to temperatures above 75 degrees.

– Keep your plants spread out so that air can circulate around them. Good air circulation is key to prevent insects and fungus, as well as stopping them from spreading. If you have all your plants in one area, infestations will spread at the blink of an eye.

– Cut the spike at the point where it comes out of the pseudobulb when your Dendrobium orchid is finished flowering. This will help the orchid focus all energy on new growth instead of attempting to keep the spike alive.

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