Photo: Dendrobium garden mostly with 'phalaenopsis type' dendrobiums. You can see the long spikes and lasting flowers.
They are upright orchids and the flowers resemble that of Phalaenopsis. They are easy to grow and they produce large number of flowers throughout the year. Dendrobium 'phalaenopsis' will bloom at any time of the year and the flowers last for 4 to 8 weeks.
Light: Dendrobium phalaenopsis is sunlight loving and prefers to have bright indirect sunlight. Strong sunlight should be filtered with green nets if necessary. The leaves should be light green in colour. Yellowish leaves indicate too much light.
Humidity: 60-70% humidity is ideal. Lower humidity conditions are also acceptable. Enclosing the orchid growing area is a good method of preserving the humidity along with misting or damping in dry conditions
Temperatures: Dendrobium phalaenopsis is warm growing and can be cultivated in temperatures 30 - 34 Deg C in India. The night time drop of temperature up to 18 Deg C will help to produce blooms.
Watering: During active growth their roots should be moist at all times. A fully grown plant can be allowed to dry out in between. Water thoroughly with a volume at least equal to the volume of the pot. Make sure that the water drains well. Soft water is the best. Hard water should be flushed heavily to prevent accumulation of minerals
Potting: These plants are best grown in the smallest possible pots beacause the prefer a 'a rapid drying cycle'. Clay pots are used if they are heavy. Coarse medium like bark, coco-husk, charcoal could be used as medium mix. Repot yearly or when the new growth appears.
Fertilizing: Every two weeks during active growth with 20-20-20 NPK or 20-10-20. Flush out the excess fertilizers with thorough watering |
