Mclellanara Okika not adjusting to new home

[joeytiii]

I'm a complete newbie with orchids having gotten two plants for Xmas. I then went out and picked up a Mclra. Okika at a local nursery here in Puerto Rico. The plant was under a black shade screen along with 1,000s of others. Because it was in full bloom, I kept it inside for about 10 days until the blooms dropped.

I understand this is a hybrid of Brassia and Oncidium and likes light so I moved it outdoors to acclimate it in the area I will be ultimately mounting it. It got about 2-3 hours of direct sunlight and I noticed the top of the pseudo bulb is browning up. I am only guessing that I have subjected it to too much direct sunlight at one time so I now have it on my porch where it gets no direct sunlight.

I am watering it only every 5 days or so by dunking and letting it drain. The porch gets a nice breeze during daytime.

What do I need to do to restore this plant to proper growing health?

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Even a few hours of sun in PR will burn a plant that's been grown under shade cloth. I think that is part of your problem. This plant may adapt to that light with new growths but I'm not sure. For now I would not let it get direct sun.

It looks as though the medium is very large chunks of bark. Is this true? If so, you should probably water every day. It has been kept too dry, which harms the plant. Smaller chunks of medium may let you stretch the watering interval.

The time to repot is when the plant begins sending up new growths from the base. Most Oncidium hybrids sold in flower have been in that pot for about 2 years, and are ready to be repotted when they next grow. Choose a medium that allows plenty of air at the roots but also retains some water. People use medium sized bark, LECA clay balls, and volcanic cinders. The roots need to stay moist. Use a pot that hiolds the plant plus another inch all around.

Take the old plant out of the pot and shake off the old medium. Don't cut roots. Put it into the new pot as close to an edge as you can get with the new growth facing away from the edge. Fill in with new medium. Water well then set in bright shade.

[SADE2020]

Agreed with Estacion 100%

Too much sun !!! Cut that leaf and shade it as soon as possible.

[joeytiii]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Even a few hours of sun in PR will burn a plant that's been grown under shade cloth. I think that is part of your problem. This plant may adapt to that light with new growths but I'm not sure. For now I would not let it get direct sun.

It looks as though the medium is very large chunks of bark. Is this true? If so, you should probably water every day. It has been kept too dry, which harms the plant. Smaller chunks of medium may let you stretch the watering interval.

The time to repot is when the plant begins sending up new growths from the base. Most Oncidium hybrids sold in flower have been in that pot for about 2 years, and are ready to be repotted when they next grow. Choose a medium that allows plenty of air at the roots but also retains some water. People use medium sized bark, LECA clay balls, and volcanic cinders. The roots need to stay moist. Use a pot that hiolds the plant plus another inch all around.

Take the old plant out of the pot and shake off the old medium. Don't cut roots. Put it into the new pot as close to an edge as you can get with the new growth facing away from the edge. Fill in with new medium. Water well then set in bright shade.

OK so I have her out of direct sun right now and will continue to keep shaded. Will the brown spot go away over time? or is the damage done for good?

Yes the bark is a bit chunky and I have no problem watering the plant every day as I have a Vanda that I have mounted to a tree that now gets watered daily when it's not raining.

So my plan is to mount this McIra. to a piece of wood and I'd like some input on when to do this. After reading your comments, I am thinking that I should repot it in a larger container now and then when I see new growth, transfer and mount it to my drift wood. Sound about right?

How long does it usually take to get new growth?

Lastly, I have coconut husk readily available and can use chunks of that in the new container. Is this OK?

I appreciate all your comments. I will be reading up in this forum to get myself more up to speed.

Thanks

[estación seca]

The brown spot on the pseudobulb won't go away. But new growth will look fine. Pseudobulbs in most Oncidium hybrids last for 2-4 years, so you won't need to look at for long.

Oncidiums only make new roots from the base of a new growth. Sometimes new growths get fairly large before making roots, and sometimes they root when it is quite small. The time to repot or to mount is when new roots are just emerging.

I would mount it, rather than putting it into a pot first. I can't see enough of your plant to see whether it is making new roots now. Realize plants on mounts need watering almost every day if it hasn't rained. They are more work than plants in pots for people who need to water by hand. In your humid climate mounted plants are a lot less work than in drier climates.

Some species Oncidiums tend to make growths only in the spring, and others throughout warm weather. But many hybrids can make new growth throughout the year if temperatures are warm and water available. The cycle is growth emerges and matures - that growth flowers - the flower spike dies - the plant makes new growth.

Coconut husk works well for Oncidiums in pots for many people. But if you want to mount this plant I would move it directly to the mount at the right time.

When you're ready to mount, take the plant out of the pot. Shake off the old medium, but you don't need to get it all off. Damaging the roots is worse than leaving on old medium.

A section cut from woman's panty hose works well to tie it to the mount. Other people have used yarn, string and fishing line. I prefer something with some stretch so it doesn't cut into the plant.

You will position the plant so the newest growth and its roots are on the wood, with the older part of the plant out in the air. Put a very small amount of your coco husk or some moss on the wood. Place the new growth against the mount with the new roots in the coco or moss. Tie the plant firmly to the wood. Water it and put it somewhere with very bright shade. The new roots will adhere to the wood and you will be able to remove the tie in 6-12 months. As the plant grows you can gradually move it to more and more light, like dappled light under a tree.

[joeytiii]

Ok so here's my Catt that caught a little too much su. Should I cut the black out of the leaves? Cut off the leaves entirely? Or leave them alone?

[Roberta]

Leave the sunburned leaves alone. The green part can still photosynthesize and feed the plant, the burned parts will just dry up. Any cutting would just provide an opportunity for pathogens. Looks a bit ugly, but in time those leaves will be shed after the plant produces some new growth.

Toasting leaves happens as you learn how the sun shifts in your growing area - I burn fewer now than when I first moved into my house. I find that March, approaching the equinox, is the most dangerous time for this sort of thing, when the sun suddenly clears obstacles such as walls... in an ideal world, light increases gradually and the orchids adapt. The sudden changes cause sunburn. Just part of the learning process... the plant will be fine.

[Dusty Ol' Man]

As far as the burns are concerned, I am a 'just leave it' kind of grower. It won't hurt the plant, and the green parts keep functioning as normal.

[estación seca]

I leave sunburn alone. Cutting can harm the plant and it reminds me to be more careful next time.