Detailed Guide to Dendrobium Balcony Cultivation Methods and Tips
It's mid-May, the season of the most vigorous growth for Dendrobium. The Dendrobium flowers on my balcony at home have been blooming one after another, looking really beautiful.
There are two cultivation methods for growing Dendrobium on a balcony. One is mounting on bark boards, that is, using moss or water fern to tie the Dendrobium onto a whole piece of bark or a wooden board with thread; the other is pot cultivation, with the growing medium made of loose, breathable materials such as bark, peanut shells, chestnut shells, wood shavings, and sawdust.
Growing Dendrobium on a balcony is very easy. Pay attention to the following points, and it would be hard to kill them even if you tried.
One, Dendrobium likes a semi-shaded, semi-sunny environment and cannot be exposed to direct sunlight. Generally, placing it on an east-facing balcony is best. If it is a south-facing balcony with good light, it is best to mount it on a board and hang it in a position closer to the inner part of the balcony. It can also be placed under large green plants. Several of my potted Dendrobium are placed under a large pot of Dracaena, where there is a bit of scattered morning sunlight.
Two, the growing medium for Dendrobium should be loose and breathable on the one hand, and moist on the other, which is the same as for orchids. This is because Dendrobium mostly has aerial roots. For mounted plants, depending on the weather conditions and the dryness or moisture of the moss or sphagnum, spray water appropriately. For potted plants, just keep the growing medium moist. Most of my potted plants use fermented bark + Kanuma soil, and orchids also use this growing medium. A few pots use wood shavings + peanut shells + broken tile pieces. With this kind of growing medium, watering can be very flexible, as long as you do not water several times a day. Keep the growing medium moist but not soggy, and do not let water accumulate too seriously. Personally, I like to add a little fermented rice-washing water to the water, and during the peak growing season, apply this kind of dilute fertilizer 1-2 times a week.
Three, this is actually also a matter of humidity and temperature. In the hot summer and cold winter, pay attention to controlling humidity and temperature. Summer is easy. Just spray more water to maintain humidity. In winter, most Dendrobium enter dormancy and will have yellowing and falling leaves. At this time, water should be controlled. Some varieties are not cold-tolerant, so be careful to move the Dendrobium indoors.
Four, Dendrobium is also a type of orchid, and some Dendrobium also have orchid nectar. Be careful not to touch it, otherwise the flowers may easily drop. For example, on the flower stem of this Dendrobium chrysotoxum below, the water-drop-like substance is orchid nectar, also called "life dew." By the way, Commander-in-Chief Zhu loved to lick and eat the life dew.
Below are some of the Dendrobium I grow that are currently blooming, for everyone to enjoy. There are also some varieties that have not bloomed, such as Dendrobium nobile, Tian Gong, and Dendrobium officinale, so I will not post them.