Plant of the Month - Dendrobium Micro Chip

Dendrobium Micro Chip, April 2024 Greenhouse-grown Plant of the Month

Photo courtesy of Joan Goodman

An interview with the grower, Jim Ault.

By John Hockberger

So Jim, what did you win this time? 

Jim — This was the greenhouse plant of the month for April 2024. The plant is Dendrobium Micro Chip, which is a primary hybrid of two Dendrobium species, both of which actually like very well-draining soil, even growing in rocky habitats, and so Micro Chip grows the same way. 

I’m growing it in clay pots with a mix that’s probably about 2/3 inorganic, and that typically would be some granite grit. I actually use turkey feed. It’s a larger coarse granite that can be about 1/3 inch wide pieces with some pumice or pearlite and a little bit of bark mix just to add a little bit of organic. 

Unlike some of the Dendrobiums we’ve seen, this one is an evergreen so you do wanna dry it off in the winter but you don’t wanna dry it such that it’s trying to drop foliage because that means it’s dying.  So it’ll hold its leaves for two or three years before they slowly drop. But run it a bit drier and definitely cooler in the winter time. In my greenhouse nights get as low as 55° which I think really initiates a lot of flower buds on this one. 

Would you explain that watering regimen? It seems like an inexact science. 

Jim — Yeah it feels like it!  In winter time I’m probably not watering it more than about once a week.  And that would only be on a sunny day. If we have a really cloudy January-February it might stretch out even to more like every 10 days. I’ll keep an eye on the foliage and the pseudobulbs. If they look like they’re shriveling, I’ll give it some extra water for a few waterings. 

One of the nice thing about this hybrid Micro Chip and the hybrids that have been developed from it …the flowers are fragrant and second, the flowers can last up to several months. 

How did you acquire this plant? Where did you get it, how long ago?

Jim — I’ve had it I think probably seven or eight years now and I’m pretty sure I got it from one of the Botanic Garden’s after-sales. It is one of my older orchids at this point. 

Would you consider this hard, medium, or easy to grow? 

Jim — Definitely easy. I’m grinding a greenhouse, but I think it’ll be fine under lights. The household temperatures are probably fine.  Under lights in a basement or upstairs would probably be OK. It’s relatively compact. The plant’s a foot tall in 4 inch clay pot. So it’s relatively compact for the hundred plus flowers that it has right now. 

Do you have a way of measuring your light?

Jim — Not really. Right now the greenhouse has got 30% shade cloth on it and in the summer I’ll take it up to 70% shade so there’s a rough idea. This is a fully exposed greenhouse.  It’s in the shade of a garage and an Oak tree late in the afternoon, 5-6 o’clock but before that it’s fully exposed to sun. It’s at 30% shade cloth now and I’ll probably take up the 50% within the week and for the summer once it gets warm I’ll go to 70% shade. 

The medium you have it in must dry out pretty quickly. How often do you water it in the summer? 

Jim — It’s now easily twice a week and it’ll be that way through fall. When it’s in active growth I’ll fertilize. 

In your greenhouse, how do you segregate? is it by your watering regimen, by the light that your plants need? 

Jim — More light. Watering regimen to some degree obviously because I have some getting water once or twice a day but others it might be once a week at most. With increased light and warmer temperatures and four fans in the greenhouse going all the time I really need water. 

Is air movement important for this particular plant? 

Jim — Critical. I’ve seen spotting on the leaves before on this Dendrobium as well as others that I think I’ll attribute to poor air circulation. 

When you water are you pouring? Are you soaking? Are you coming up from below? 

Jim — Yeah well I’m hosing. I’m definitely running water through the pots, thoroughly soaking the pots. 

Does the water go from the top level down and flow through all the other plants?

Jim — No I’ll do all the ones on the benches first and then the plants that are in baskets overhead. They’re not draining into the plants below. 

You’re a very hands-in grower. You don’t have an automated (watering) system? 

Jim — No, it’s all me. I’m retired! 

What is it about this plant that you love?

Jim — I liked it when I saw it in bloom. I am more of a species guy than a hybrid guy. I’m probably 2/3 species and 1/3 hybrid and that’s across my whole collection.  On this one, the flowers are just so cute and they were strongly fragrant, even in the hallway here at the Botanic Garden when they were in the display. Then when I bought the one in bloom, it stayed in bloom for another month before it finally gave up! So it’s been a reliable bloomer every year since. 

It’s been a very rewarding plant. For the year of keeping it alive and then you get a few months (of blooms) out of it like a phalaenopsis. 

Jim — Absolutely! It’s been rewarding that it’s given me ribbons at three shows and a monthly meeting now! 

Nice! Anything else you would tell somebody who was thinking they may like to try this plant?

Jim — There’s so much variation in Dendrobium in general. Everybody should have some, but study the variation and find the kind of look that that works for you, whether it’s species, whether it’s the hybrids.  Some say the flowers can last upwards of three or four months. There are other Dendrobium species where the flowers only last a week. They all like bright light, good air circulation, excellent drainage. 

This particular plant right now is at the (bright) south end of my greenhouse but with shade cloth over it and it has a monster Stanhopea that’s shading it in the afternoon…so it’s getting very bright light probably up till about 11 o’clock in the morning - diffuse but very bright light.