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Orchid Care for the month of January

1) Most of the deciduous orchids Orchids are still in their dormancy. its possibly the best time to review your collection and identify

a. Plants that need repotting
Still weather is not suitable for repotting but identifying them and keeping would help to assess quantum of work to be planned in February.
b. Plants that need culling.
Best time to review the collection and decide to throw infected and diseased plants that have stubborn infections or diseases. though this is a hard decision. It helps in controlling spreading of spores and infection.
c. Plants that need change in their position.
Some of the orchids would be looking good and healthy but did not bloom last season and possibly helps to asses whats wrong with it and possibly discuss with members growing and blooming those specific genus/species and seek their suggestions and possibly change their placement to get more light/air movement/shade

2) Review the collection for pests (checking underside of the leaves/root zone would help).

3) Some of  the Oncidiums, Cymbidiums, Paphiopedilum  would start spiking, stake the spikes so that they present themselves well. Some of the Paphiopedilums would be in spike. avoid watering the leaves and pouch. Anticipating each of the orchid opening can be very satisfying experience for a grower.

4)  Many deciduous species (Catasetum, Lycaste, Dendrobiums) would be loosing/lost their leaves at an alarming rate and pseudobulbs shrivel a bit but nothing to worry. Keep them dry and winter shedding is normal behavior and helps them bloom.

5) Supplement Magnesium sulphate and micronutrients to ensure that plants get at least 1 dose of Magnesium and micronutrients during this month

6) Keep a couple of bottles of hydrogen peroxide handy for any quick bandaid treatments for bacterial and surface treatments of fungal infections.

7) Remove dried leaves/sheath during this time as dried material absorbs more water and invite fungal and bacterial infections. Keeping the grow area clean would help.

8) Cooler weather is also a season for fungal infections to take down plants that are not in good health, trim dead leaves, roots of Vandas and give them a dose of systemic fungicide would help cater to infections in cooler weather.

Species of the Month

Distribution: Found from the Himalayas, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, parts of Indonesia and the Philippines in evergreen lowland forests and primary montane forests as a small to medium sized, hot to cool growing epiphyte at elevations of 100 to 1800 meters
Plant: canes erect or pendulous, many noded, yellow with age stems with tubular basal sheaths carrying deciduous, ligulate or oblong-lanceolate, acute to obtuse leaves that blooms in the winter, spring and summer on a lateral, short, few to several, long-lived, fragrant honey suckle to primrose scented or not, flowered inflorescence that arises from the nodes on 2 to 3 year old leafless canes.
Culture: Water and fertilizer should be reduced from October through the end of winter and resumed with the onset of new growth in the spring (February)

Pictures and Article: Sriram Kumar