New Dendrobium!

[SaraLorraine]

Hello fellow orchid lovers!

I recently purchased my first Dendrobium and could use some of the expertise out there! There is some leaf damage, and some of the stems (terminology?) look a litte rough. Also, I am not sure about the roots (I was told it is potted in a coconut?). I was wondering if I should remove some of the damage to get my orchid healthy! Here are some pictures for clarification. Any suggestions/advice would we greatly appreciated! Thank you much.

~SaraLorraine

[Brutal_Dreamer]

I would remove the blooms (put them in a vase to enjoy). And then repot this orchid into a mix that you are comfortable growing in. It looks like the roots could be damaged inside that shell. Dendrobium orchid roots need to breath and dry off quickly so they do not rot. Good luck!

cheers,
BD

[angela]

Up front, I am growing outdoors in shade house. I do not like coconut for potted plants. Maybe some small cubes,but very little. Never whole chunks like this.
My HO would be to soak the the plant (coconut shell) for a good 30 mins. which softens it, and gently peel away as much of the fibre as you can. You will probably lose a few roots in the process but not to worry. treat with some Physan and a drop of SuperThrive and pot up in a medium that drys out quickly and has some room for air.
By the way the plant as it is now is not doing badly, as I can see a new shoot growing,
Good luck.