How to Grow and Care for Nobile Dendrobium (Spring Dendrobium) and Points to Note

SummaryPotted substrate: You can choose to grow it in a ceramic pot, using moss as the substrate, and a small amount of granular material can be filled at the bottom. Temperature: When the room temperature is kept above 5°C, it can overwinter safely, and it usually needs to be placed in a spot with ample light for growing. Watering: It needs to be watered with neutral to slightly acidic water; from spring to early autumn, water should be sufficient, and in winter when it enters dormancy, the amount of watering can be reduced; after flowering, wait until the surface has dried out completely before watering. Fertilizing: During the growing period, nitrogen fertilizer, phosphorus fertilizer, potassium fertilizer, etc. can be applied.

I. Potted Substrate

1. The soil for planting nobile dendrobium (spring dendrobium) must be breathable and well-draining. A ceramic pot can be used as the flower pot, then moss can be used as the substrate, and a small amount of granular material can be filled at the bottom of the pot as a drainage layer.

2. When planting, the moss needs to be gently packed tight. Generally, fresh moss needs to be replaced once a year; otherwise, if the moss is used for too long, its water permeability and air permeability will decrease.

II. Suitable Temperature

1. When growing nobile dendrobium (spring dendrobium) in pots in northern regions, in winter it needs to be placed indoors in a spot with ample light to overwinter, and the room temperature needs to be kept above 5°C. In spring and summer, it can be placed outdoors for growing, but it needs to be protected from rain in time.

2. For robustly growing pseudobulbs, in late autumn and early winter, a suitable low temperature can be maintained for 2-3 weeks, which helps promote flower bud differentiation. After the flower buds emerge, the daytime room temperature needs to be 20-25°C, and the nighttime room temperature needs to be around 15°C.

III. Ample Light

1. Nobile dendrobium (spring dendrobium) loves sunlight. In spring, summer, and autumn, when the light is relatively ample, it helps nobile dendrobium (spring dendrobium) grow more vigorously, but shading of about 30-50% still needs to be maintained.

2. Plants that have finished flowering must not be placed in a spot with relatively strong sunlight, otherwise the flowers will wither prematurely. It is also not very suitable to grow them in a spot with weak light, as this will cause the flower color of the plant to fade and the flowering period to be shortened.

IV. Reasonable Watering

1. Nobile dendrobium (spring dendrobium) likes to be watered with neutral to slightly acidic water. Remember that the water must not contain too many minerals such as calcium and magnesium. From spring to early autumn is the vigorous growth period of nobile dendrobium (spring dendrobium), and at this stage sufficient water is needed.

2. In winter, when it enters dormancy, the amount of watering should be gradually reduced, but relatively high humidity should be maintained in the air. For plants that have already flowered, water only after the surface of the substrate has dried out completely, and it is not advisable to spray water on the flowers.

V. Regular Fertilizing

1. At the seedling stage of nobile dendrobium (spring dendrobium), as well as during the vigorous growth stage in spring and summer, fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer needs to be applied. After flowering until the end of July, fertilizer with a high nitrogen content can be applied. By August-September, fertilizer with a high phosphorus and potassium ratio can be used instead. Generally, solid organic fertilizer can be applied on the pot surface, once about every 21 days.

2. Foliar spraying can also be chosen, or liquid fertilizer can be applied by watering, with a suitable concentration of about a 2000-fold dilution. For foliar spraying, spray once about every 7 days. When fertilizing, try to use chemical fertilizer as much as possible, and reduce the amount and frequency of organic fertilizer, because it easily causes moss to rot. In addition, from the dormant stage to the flowering period of nobile dendrobium (spring dendrobium), all fertilizing must be stopped.