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Winter rest question for greenhouse growers.

Discussion in 'Orchid Culture' started by Kipper, Dec 26, 2016.

  1. Dec 26, 2016 #1
    Kipper

    Kipper CoffeeCoffeeCoffee... Supporting Member

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    Hi all, This is my first winter with a greenhouse and I am having a few 'issues' with the differences in how my plants react as opposed to being moved inside to crowd my windows. Many Dends. that usually stop growing and need to be rather dryer in Dec. and Jan.,unicum, lodegesii etc., are still actively growing. Roots and growths. I am unsure whether to continue watering and see if the growth stops soon or stop watering now and just see how it affects the current growth. Greenhouse is kept at about 65F to 68F in the daytime and 50F to 55F at night. Humidity stays 70% to 80%. This is even more pronounced in the Catts. Many are showing the best growth all year. My Catt. maxima has 14 new growths. Any help would be appreciated. Kipper
     
  2. Dec 26, 2016 #2
    KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    With my dry rest Dends I taper off on the watering and eventually stop regardless of what is growing. I believe in most cases the dormancy is triggered by a reduction in water so if you keep watering they will keep growing. I have watered some of these plants all winter and they grow beautifully but just don't bloom or have a weak blooming.
    I can't help with the Catt.
     
  3. Dec 26, 2016 #3
    Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    I agree with Kelly. For epiphytes, I go by the seasons, roughly Halloween to Valentine's Day. I just stop watering and they will adjust. Early on in my orchid growing, I tried to get a Rossioglossum insleayi to go into a winter rest by watching the growths and watering accordingly. It never got in sync with the seasons. I finally just stopped watering one fall regardless of the growth cycle and within to years it was on schedule. It is a different story for terrestrials where I go by the growth.
     
  4. Dec 26, 2016 #4
    Kipper

    Kipper CoffeeCoffeeCoffee... Supporting Member

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    Thanks Kelly and Marni. I'll cut to once or twice the next couple of weeks and then cut off.