We need to know where you live, how you grow these plants (light, temps, indoors, outdoors). Both plants take different growing conditions. You need to give more info so we can help you out.

Jane

A photo of your plants would make it much easier for giving advice. They sound like good healthy plants, from your report of new growths.

When a plant won't bloom it is often a lighting problem or with the dendrobium, knowing what type of dendrobium you have.

Are you in zone 8b in the U.S. or where???

I am in zone 8 ( South East GA on the coast and Fla border) I have tried to upload photos but they aren't uploading I will try again

As far as growing conditions. They are indoor during the winter and peak miday summer hours. I had them in the kitcten in a glass garden window made for growing plants indoors. Moved the phal about 3 weeks ago into the living room ( is less light but the phal seems to not like the garden window now that spring is here. Too much light I think.) The house temperature is about 75-78 during the day and 68-70 at night. My watering habit for the dendro is drench it once a week with an occasional mist throughout the week. ( I do let the spagnum become completely dry). Both have miracle grow food spikes added to them have been in for around 5 months. Any other info you think you need? Oh. When I do have to trim or cut anything on the plants I do dab powder cinnamon on the cuts to kill any bacteria and keep fungus from growing.

Totally normal for the Den. The older canes do lose their leaves. Do not cut them off, they supply support for the newer growths. They often spike and flower. Your new growths are your flowers in the Fall/Winter.

I know they are ugly when bare, but beautiful when flowering.

I would repot the Den into a bark mix. Put the plant in good strong light and only water when almost dry. Try to be careful when repotting, don't disturb the roots if possible. Put the plant outside in strong light (not direct sun). do not like plant spikes. Use a time release that works for 3 months. As the summer ends, you want the plant to start to get ready to flower. Excess Nitrogen can prevent that. So water by hand or use a time release that only works for 3 months.

The Phal looks okay. They like good light without direct sun. Both plants can go outside. The Phal in a lower light place. The Den in stronger light. Remove the sphag from the Den and repot in the same size pot.

Jane

10-4 thanks. While on the topic of the ochirds outside.... Are there any I could actually plant and leave outside all year?

Repoting orchids is not like other plants. And the best repot choice varies by plant and human behavior in caring.

The moss the den is in eventually rots the roots. I never use it. Dens like to be planted on the potting material, not in it. It will need a rhizome clip or 2 to fix it to the pot without wobble. If you could find an experienced local grower to show you how to repot, the success probability goes up. Dens do not like to be over potted. Too small is better than too big. Use a clay pot with lava rock if you water a lot. To water the least use a plastic pot with all bark or bark as part of the mix. Repot every 2 or 3 years with bark.

http://usinggeorgianativeplants.blogspot.com/2011/07/orchids-that-might-be-in-your-yard.html Is a link to native orchids from Georgia...

Thanks for the link! Know what to get for my spring gardening now. As for the spagnum. I don't typically use it I'm a medium bark kind of guy. The dendro is in medium bark what a little spagnum because that's what it was initially potted in. ( spagnum and foam peanuts). I repot all my orchids when I get them because they are always in spagnum and massively over watered.

The sphagnum is the reason for your dendrobium problems...It needed to be repotted sooner...

Don't cut the leafless spikes. Just repot in a smaller, clay pot.

Jane

Meant, 'leafless canes.'

Jane

Ha-ha I understood. So I should use a smaller clay pot on the dendro. Also, based on the link provided I bought 10 downy rattlesnake orchids for outside. Here's to hoping that goes well. Thanks for all the input I really appreciate it.

Moved the phal to the garden box for more ligjt. Got my downy rattlesnake orchids in!!! (: and picked up a really big phal on clearance for 8 bucks the spike was turning brown. The moss was soaked... So I cleaned all the moss off and cut the rotting roots. Transplanted into miricle grow orchid bark. I've lost ever orchid I've bought on clearance so hopefully this will be the one lol. 1

For soil I put a thin layer of bark down then used a 2 part miracle grow posting soil and 3 part miracle grow cactus mix. The cactus mix was a 5.5 acidic soil and had sand peat moss bark chips and perilite( or what ever those white things are) composition. Lowe's recommended blending with the potting soil so I'll see what happens I guess. It looked very close to the dirt that was still on some of the root balls.

Good luck on your new addition. I'm not sure which orchid was planted in cactus mix and potting soil. Hopefully not the Phal. That would be another death sentence.

Jane

No no no.. The downy rattlesnake. They are a terrestrial orchid needing higher acidic soil good drainage but needs to stay moist.

The phal went into orchid bark medium size

That's good! I was a bit worried there. I'm not familiar with Rsttlesnake orchids, never heard of them.

Heres a shot of a den flowering from a leafless cane.

Jane

How close did you cut the old spike off on the cane? I cut mine off just above the cane.. There is still a nub of the old spike on there. I did replant the dendro last night and found a bright green spike curling up from the base so it's growing a new cane! (: can't be that unhappy.

You can cut the flower spike down to the cane. The cane in my photo is the 3 flier spike from that can. I cut the old spikes down to the cane, you can't see the old spikes. Just don't cut any canes as they can flower again. Old flower spikes will not flower so you can cut them off.

Not terribly attractive, but it is what these dens do.

If Arthur pops in, this plant looks like a photo he has of a phal blooming from an old spike. Pretty hideous!

jane

Ha-ha I really appreciate all the help. As far as your dendro flower I think it's spectacular. Mine has yet to even rething of flowering

I apologize for the misspellings. I'm trying to learn to use my phone to post and am not very good at typing on it. I think I better stick to the computer!

Jane

Just blame auto correct ( it's always wrong lol)