Hey! Check out this video to find out how a Dendrobium orchid flower spike appears and matures.
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Dendrobium is a diverse genus of orchids with different cultural needs. They are evergreen with thin, tall stems (pseudobulbs).

Water
Water your orchids in the morning so that the leaves are dry before night. How often to water depends on the potting media used, the type of pot (plastic or clay), and the size of the pot. Dendrobiums like to be in small pots and are usually much taller than the pot is wide. Because they are usually large plants in relatively small pots, watering twice a week is about average. They like to be almost dry before re-watering.
When watering, place the plant in the sink and use tepid water. Do not use salt-softened or distilled water. Let the water run through the plant for a minute or so. Be sure to let the plant drain completely.
This is a good time to look closely at your plant for any sign of insects or disease.

Light
Dendrobiums need lots of light, but not direct sun. A lightly shaded south window is best. East or west facing windows are satisfactory if bright (avoid direct sun except at the beginning or end of the day).

Temperature
Dendrobiums can withstand hot weather if adequate ventilation and humidity are provided. They are best grown when the temperature is between 65°F and 75°F in the day and between 55ºF to 60ºF at night.
Keep in mind that temperatures close to the window on a windowsill will be colder or hotter than your general house temperature.

Fertilizer
Any balanced orchid fertilizer (look at the numbers on the container, 20-20-20, etc.) can be used to fertilize your orchid. Feed weakly (1/4 strength) weekly works well for dendrobiums. Once a month use clear water to flush any accumulated salts from the potting mix.

Give your plants room for air to circulate around them. Crowding of plants can lead to problems with insect infestations and fungus. A small fan will help provide good air circulation around your plants.

When your plant has finished blooming, you can cut the flowering stem at the point where it came out of the tall thin pseudobulbs. Do not cut off the tall thin stem because the new flower stem will grow from there. Continue watering and fertilizing and within a year a new growth will spike to begin the blooming cycle again!

When re-potting, use a small pot; using a large pot will slow growth and reduces flowering significantly. Re-pot every two to three years.
source: aos.org

The flowers of dendrobium orchids are beautiful, delicate and numerous. Buds form on small flower spikes of no more than a few centimeters in length, that grow from the stem, in between pairs of leaves. A single dendrobium cane can have 25-50 blooms and a plant with several canes blooming will produce a spectacular display.
The flowers have a light, sweet scent, which is pleasant, but not overpowering.
Buds normally develop in December and January, with blooming from January to March in the northern hemisphere. Blooms typically last for at least 6 weeks. Cooler conditions and healthy plants given good care can extend blooming for up to 12 weeks in total.

Pruning And Care After Flowering
After your plant has finished flowering, you should trim the flower spikes off close to the cane. Do not cut a cane that has finished flowering, as an individual cane can rebloom the following year, but they also contain a store of energy which the plant can use to grow new canes and vegetative growth, leading to bud and bloom development on a new cane. Cutting an old cane removes this energy source, and it is more difficult for the orchid to produce new canes the following season.

Reblooming
Once blooming has finished, increase watering, begin regular fertilizing, keep it in temperatures of between 65-85 °F (18-30°C) and ensure it gets plenty of bright light to maximize vegetative growth. You can expect at least some leaf drop from the canes which have flowered, and this is to be expected as dendrobium orchids are semi-deciduous.
You can expect new vegetative growth to develop over the months of April to August, and it is normal for one or more new pseudobulbs to develop, which will be the most likely site of blooming the following winter.
Eventually, the canes will stop producing new leaves, and as you enter the autumn, this is the time to reduce watering, stop fertilizing and reduce the temperatures the orchid is grown in. Dendrobium orchids will typically produce buds after being exposed to nighttime temperatures of 50-60 °F (10-15°C) for at least 4 weeks, with daytime temperatures of up to 70 °F (21°C).
After the plant has been exposed to at least 4 weeks of colder conditions and cooler nights, you can expect buds to develop in about 40-50 days. Once buds develop, you should ensure that you avoid exposure to temperatures below 54 °F (12°C) F to reduce the risk of bud drop.
source: smartgardenguide.com

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