How to get oncidium to spike and bloom.

[Packer grower]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

I take it these Oncs are NOID hybrids since they're not being assigned names.

The only thing I have to say is wait. It might not be mature enough or strong enough to bloom yet.

One is in spike since the last post. One I know is not mature enough yet. The 3rd plant is a mature plant that was in bloom when purchased. The plant is healthy and gets the same water, light, nutrients, etc. as the others. We do live in the midwest and the plants are kept cool. Hope this information helps. Thanks

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Packer grower

I am new to this, so I am working on getting pictures posted. There were no tags on plants when purchased, so I don't know the proper names. I live in the midwest.

Then at the moment, yes, these Oncidiums are what are called no ID's (aka NOID's).

Some Oncidium hybrids are pretty distinct and are easily distinguishable with a picture. Other times, they're not so easy to tell apart even with a picture.

Whereabouts in the midwest United States are you? Are you in the Dakotas? Are you in Oklahoma? Catching my drift? North and South Dakota are cold. Oklahoma is milder in climate. A more specific idea of where you are gives people the ability to tell you more information.

Good information to give out are:

Temperature (day, night, seasonal)
Humidity
Light exposure
Watering regimen
Fertilizer type
Fertilizer regimen
Method of culture (pot, mount, semi-hydroponics)
Potting media
Type of pot used

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Packer grower

One is in spike since the last post. One I know is not mature enough yet. The 3rd plant is a mature plant that was in bloom when purchased. The plant is healthy and gets the same water, light, nutrients, etc. as the others. We do live in the midwest and the plants are kept cool. Hope this information helps. Thanks

Unfortunately, Oncs are so varied in cultural requirements, I wouldn't be helping if I said, this was enough information to go on and that you were doing a good job.

Here's why...

There are some Oncidiums that are warm growers. They will not tolerate being kept cool in the long run.

Without a name or pictures, I don't know if you've got a warm growing Onc.

There are also cooler growing Oncs, Onc intergeneric hybrids, and Onc relatives such as Odontoglossums, Odontocidium, etc.

Again without a name or pictures, I don't know if you've got cooler growing plants.

They don't all grow the same way.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Here're a couple quotes from Wikipedia.org about the Oncidium Alliance. This will give you an idea of what you're dealing with. This is why you're not getting specific answers and pretty much getting the run around.

"The Oncidiinae is a subtribe within the Orchidaceae that consists of a number of genera that are closely related. This subtribe consists of about 70 genera with over 1000 species, with Oncidium as its largest genus."
(wikipedia.org - Oncidium Alliance)

"Oncidium, abbreviated as Onc. in the horticultural trade, is a genus that contains about 330 species of orchids"
(wikipedia.org - Oncidium)

And this doesn't even scratch the hybrids.

[Aji Dulce]

I have the same question. My Brassia Summer Dream has been with me for 8 years, with no bloom spikes. I saw "sun, sun, sun!" As one suggestion. Not direct sun, right?

[My Green Pets]

Yes, I agree, light seems to me to be the likely culprit.

Yes, direct light is good, as long as it in the early morning or late afternoon. Midday sun will burn them.

Acclimatize your plants to higher light levels by introducing them gradually.

My varied collection of Oncidiums, phals, and paphs get direct sun through an east window from 8AM till 11 AM and they love it. Lots of them in spike at the moment.