What to Do When Dendrobium officinale Leaves Turn Yellow? Here's the Correct Way to Handle It

Dendrobium officinale has very high medicinal value, and many people have taken up growing it. Many bases that cultivate Dendrobium officinale have surely encountered this problem: during cultivation, the leaves turn yellow and even become somewhat dry. Do you know what causes this? Do you know how to handle and solve it? Let's take a look together below!

Unsuitable substrate

[Cause] The aerial roots of Dendrobium officinale are exposed to the air and absorb air and rainwater.

[Solution] The preferred substrate material is tree bark, followed by sawdust. Both need to be crushed, sterilized and fermented. Usually, several materials and substrates of different coarseness are mixed together.

Substrate too wet

[Cause] Too much watering makes the substrate too wet, and the root system rots.

[Solution] For potted Dendrobium officinale, water once every one or two weeks. After a thorough watering, mist normally, and control factors such as air circulation on the balcony. If the stems and rhizomes of Dendrobium officinale have not died, they can sprout again after the weather warms up in spring, but watering should be controlled to prevent root rot.

Water shortage and drought

[Cause] Water shortage leads to yellow leaves. Some growers control water excessively, and combined with the current low humidity, this leads to yellowing leaves. Although it is now winter, water control should not be excessive, especially for bed-planted Dendrobium officinale. In winter, yellow leaves caused by water shortage are fairly common.

[Solution] Water with slightly acidic to neutral water; avoid water containing too many minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Plenty of water is required in spring, summer and early autumn. After mid-autumn it gradually enters dormancy, and the amount of watering should be reduced accordingly until watering is stopped completely. You can start reducing watering before the leaves turn yellow, reduce it further as the leaves yellow and fall, and stop watering when the leaves have all fallen. In North China, after stopping watering, keep the indoor air humidity fairly high to prevent the pseudobulbs from shriveling. If the room is too dry, water the pot once every 1 to 2 weeks.

Too many miscellaneous microbes

[Cause] The substrate contains too many miscellaneous microbes, and the symbiotic bacteria of the root system are not competitive enough, causing the leaves to turn yellow.

[Solution] Use fermented tree bark or sawdust, coconut shell, bagasse, decomposed fallen leaves or moss as the growing substrate. It must be fully dried in the sun and treated with phoxim for insect control to kill residual pests and eggs in the soil.