Repotting Colmanara Masai

[MimiLovesOrchids]

I am wondering when I should repot my Colmanara Masai. When I received it in Oct. 2017 it had 3 pseudobulbs and was in bloom. Since that time I have repotted it several times, the last time being in Jan. 2019. The original pseudobulbs are shriveling now and one is turning yellow and has lost all its leaves. Meanwhile, I have lots of new growth with what appear to be the beginnings of at least two new pseudobulbs. Should I repot it now to remove the old pseudobulbs and before any further growth of new ones?

[Roberta]

If there is still room in the pot for new growth, leave it. It's normal for an orchid to shed leaves on its old pseudobulbs, those are "reserves". There is no good reason to remove them or repot if the medium is good (6 months is not enough time for it to deteriorate) and there is growing room. 2 years is a more reasonable potting interval for most plants.

[MimiLovesOrchids]

Follow-up question: I lasted repotted my Colmonara in Sept. 2020. It has developed some new pseudobulbs but they are airborne and there are many airborne roots as well. Not sure what I am doing wrong; has never bloomed for me.

[Roberta]

These things tend to be climbers - you can try to redirect it, but it tends to do what it wants... if it's producing new growth, you may want to try to reposition it so that the the p-bulbs are near the surface of the medium and the roots it it. But if it isn't putting out new growth, leave it alone, it's fine... In nature, the species ancestors of this type of orchid tends to climb up trees. That behavior tends to persist even with all the hybridizing.

[estación seca]

Failure to bloom in Oncidiums can have multiple causes:

• Inadequate watering, which also causes horizontal pleats in the leaves;
• Inadequate light; they like bright shade to dappled sun;
• Inadequate fertilizer; they should have regular fertilizer in growth;
• The plant may not be old/large enough.