oncidium help...please

[Call_Me_Bob]

I have a yellow oncidum noid.. its in bloom now its absolutely gorgeous. i have had it for 4 years and never repotted it. there are like 6 to 8 psudobulbs. its like going sideways because the sun. and looks like its falling out of the pot. ill post pics on wed...please help..i have no idea what to do with oncidiums

[tim abbott]

Hi help,

I won't give you instructions because I'm a neophite myself. I will say I have found all of my orchids to be very resilient & need common sense care. I bought an oncidium (could be the same species as yours, it had yellow flowers) and I noticed it had extra roots growing from a couple of the psuedp bulbs so I cut them off, re-potted & now I have two plants that ate doing fine & the origional has re-flowered. So heed the advice of the knowledgable folks here & you will have good success.

Tim Abbott

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I don't get it. You've grown it for 4 years.

I don't think you need instructions on how to grow it. I think you need to repot into fresh media and fit it into a pot that will keep the roots potbound.

[Ray]

My exact thoughts, King.

[learning2letgo]

Yeah, just one up on the size of the pot and try turning your plant around from time to time. If you turn it 180 degrees each day, it won't try to "lean" towards the sun. You can keep it evenly spaced. Whenever I have a plant, orchid or otherwise, that tries to "lean" toward the light this is what I do with it and it works for me.

Best wishes!

[Call_Me_Bob]

its not mine but a friends, i thought it would be easier if i just said it was mine... oops

[Call_Me_Bob]

but it looks like it needs to be devided. does anyone know about dividing oncidiums

[Blueszz]

There is nothing like a need to be divided! At least not for the plants sake. Only if the plant gets to large for the owner there could be a need to divide.
The larger the plant, the better and the more blooms! I would say repot and up-pot. Don't choose a pot that is way to large, just large enough to allow 1 or 2 years of new growth.

My 2 $cents

Nicole

[Call_Me_Bob]

thank you sooo much, and just to be sure you are saying that there is never a need for the plants sake to split up the plant

[Blueszz]

Yes, I can't imagine a situation that the plant will benefit from being divided If you or your friend repots, you can clean up the roots but leave as many pseudobulbs on it as possible, even when they are leafless. The plant uses these for storage. Sometimes some older pseudobulbs fall off naturally. You throw them away or try to propegate the plant with these so called back bulbs. It could be fun to try and it's a great learning experience. However, don't expect to have a blooming size plant from backbulbs within a few months
For most oncidium backbulbs it's enough to lay them aside in a cool and darker place and wait to see if it still has an sleeping eye that might awake. When it puts out a new growth which is rooting, you can pot it up.

Nicole