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Culture Sheet for
Noble type Dendrobiums



Noble Type Dendrobium Culture



The group 'Dendrobium' is a very large and varied group of orchids, so be sure you know what type you have. The culture advice here is for the Noble type Dendrobiums featured in the photographs on the page. Even within the Noble Dendrobium group, there exists many species and varieties. Hybridizing within this group gives us all sorts of colors and sizes of plants. We grow all our Noble type Dendrobiums the same way.

Many of these orchids grow in trees in areas with seasonal climates that have very cool temperatures in the winter. As such, they require cool night temperatures to really bloom them well. A minimum of 20F differential between day and night will usually produce flowers. Even during the summer months. Flowers are produced on Mature growths which grow upward when first starting out. They will then fall over as they grow and mature. This 'toppling over' helps get the flowers out, and away from the tree branches where the pollinators can reach them. Staking them upright is unnatural for these plants but allows the grower to conserve space on their bench for more orchids.

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Noble Type Dendrobium Culture



Light
Most Noble type Dendrobiums are considered high light orchids requiring some direct sunlight in the mornings or evenings when grown indoors year-round. We grow ours with as much light as we can give them without burning them in the afternoon sun. We grow our Nobles outside during the Spring, Summer and Fall. They are the first orchids to go outside in the Spring and the last to come in, in the late Fall. When grown outside, bright, indirect light may be sufficient. As with most orchids and plants, the more light you can give your orchid without damaging it (burning it or bleaching out the leaves) The better it will grow and bloom for you.





Noble Type Dendrobium Culture



Water
Many sources will tell you that you need to let your Noble type Dendrobiums go dry in the winter in order to get them to flower. This is simply not true for most Noble type Dendrobiums.. It is actually the drop in night time temperatures that triggers the flowering cycle. Winter temperatures and shorter nights, will often cause your plants to drop leaves on older, mature growths which causes the plants to NEED less water. Cutting back on the watering follows, since the plant isn't using or needing the water it once did.

During the growing season, we try and keep the growing media moist all the time. We grow our Nobles in long fibered Sphagnum moss allowing the moss to go dry on the top before watering again. We do this year round.





Noble Type Dendrobium Culture



Fertilizers and Supplements


Like most orchids, Noble type Dendrobiums do not require a lot of fertilization. During active growth, fertilize with a weak solution of a well-balanced fertilizer from late spring to mid-summer. Any all-purpose fertilizer will work as long as the three numbers indicating Phosphorus, Nitrogen and Potassium are about the same.

Stop fertilizing when canes near maturity. If fertilized while flowers are developing, your plants will produce Keikis instead of flowers. Keiki is the Hawaiian name for baby. In this case it refers to the production of small plantlets where the flowers would normally be produced. If you want more plants, then this is the easiest way to make them, but it will be at the expense of flowers for that blooming period. Keikis can be removed after they produce roots 2-3 inches in length, and potted up in small pots using Sphagnum moss. If left on the plant, Keikis will produce new growth and more roots each growing season, increasing the survival of the keiki.

The photo to the left shows Keikis ready to be removed and grown on to become mature blooming plants in just a couple years.






Noble Type Dendrobium Culture



Water
Many sources will tell you that you need to let your Noble type Dendrobiums go dry in the winter in order to get them to flower. This is simply not true for most Noble type Dendrobiums.. It is actually the drop in night time temperatures that triggers the flowering cycle. Winter temperatures and shorter nights, will often cause your plants to drop leaves on older, mature growths which causes the plants to NEED less water. Cutting back on the watering follows, since the plant isn't using or needing the water it once was.

During the growing season, we try and keep the growing media moist all the time. We grow our Nobles in long fibered Sphagnum moss allowing the moss to go dry on the top before watering again. We do this year round.




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