Gower Ramsey ' Lemon Heart' - Orchid Board

mattryan · #1 08-01-2011, 10:20 AM

I just wanted to ask a couple questions. I purchased this orchid almost 2 weeks ago. Well I had it for several days and posted should I repot. I ended up ropotting trying not to disrupt the roots as much as possible (sphagg stays too wet). I repotted into bark and the blooms started to wilt, which I suspected would happen. Anyway look at what I found this morning, I think it's a spike! The other side of this pbulb is where the first spike with flowers is.

Now my questions are, firstly is there anything special that I should be doing eg:fertilization, light etc? And how long will it take before flowers arrive, spring? Thanks for the help, I'm sure this spike was on it's way before I got it, I just don't want to do anything to set it back.

First pic blooms when I got it, next 1 is this morning, hopefully you can see the new growth

FairyInTheFlowers · #2 08-01-2011, 11:51 AM

It's a little too early too tell, but that could also be a new growth, which is also a great thing.

Gage · #3 08-01-2011, 12:02 PM

Congrats on the new Oncidium! I absolutely love yellow Oncidiums. The new growth in the second picture looks to me like a new pseudobulb growth, rather than a spike. I'm sorry it doesn't mean more blooms soon, but it does mean more blooms later! Good luck!

zxyqu · #4 08-01-2011, 01:53 PM

Agreed, the fork like top of the nubbin looks morw new growth like, but I'd love to be wrong. Either way, with the repot and the new growth, that should really help it survive the new media, so it's good all around. Keep us posted.

WhiteRabbit · #5 08-01-2011, 03:23 PM

I think that's new growth - Oncidiums like to tease you that way - new growth comes up within that bract foliage like a spike

As for length of time from spike initiation to blooming - in my experience with Oncidiums, it's usually about 3 months

mattryan · #6 08-01-2011, 03:48 PM

Thanks all for your help. On closer inspection lol it does look like a new pbulb. But I didn't realize they grew between the leaves (my lesson for the day). I am really glad that something good is happening since the repot. Thanks again all

WhiteRabbit · #7 08-01-2011, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattryan

Thanks all for your help. On closer inspection lol it does look like a new pbulb. But I didn't realize they grew between the leaves (my lesson for the day). I am really glad that something good is happening since the repot. Thanks again all

I frequently check out these new things growing on my oncidiums for a while, going back and forth on whether I think they are spikes or new growth - till they become completely evident, one way or another - I have been fooled more than once!

Some oncidiums can spike from both sides of the pbulb, but not all of them - I don't know about this particular one - but if they do, it's usually pretty close together in time - within 2-3 weeks of each other

And, yes, as much as we all like to see spikes - new growth is always a good thing too!