Needing lots of advice! - Orchid Board

Andromeda Lane · #1 08-08-2012, 08:41 PM

SO after several attempts at trying to post a new thread, I quickly discovered I was doing it wrong. I think things may have changed since I was last here.

I will say that I am not completely new to the OB, but I have forgotten my previous username. I still consider myself a "noob" at caring for orchids even though I have owned a few the past several years.

I will save you the "story" I had typed out in the thread I had originally tried posting 1) I'm not sure that it is ALL mandatory and 2) not sure I'm ready to type everything out again.

I will make it short and say that I haven't quite had possession of my chids for a little while now as I had let a shop borrow them. If you are really interested in the details, feel free to ask.

I just received them only to find that I had lost a few

and the remaining soldiers are in dyer need of some TLC. I've had them back for a couple of weeks now, and they seem to be making progress for the most part, only I have a few questions.

I have attached several images...

The first two are just the remaining soldiers. The one up front in the big brown pot is my oldest and has survived severe burns. She has stuck by my side through my learning, and I think someday she'll come back with a vengeance!

The next couple are of the one remaining that isn't a "no name Phal". I had an Oncidium before they all went to the store that was much smaller than this one, and I loved it dearly, however it did not make it through the ice cube waterings

...Perhaps someone here can help me identify it. Oncidium or Odontoncidium? Regardless, it's the unhappiest of them all. I have slowly been watering it as to not shock it, but the bulbs seem to be shriveling more and more, and all new growth is at a stand still from what I can tell. So, my question is, should I just give up on this one? Also, this is one I was doing similar to semi-hydroponically before giving it to the store...so where I was watering it a few times a week, they were giving it an ice cube a week....

The next one desperately needs re-potted, but I went to do it and noticed a spike forming! That's great news, almost a sign of them being "happy" to be back in my care...but should I go ahead and transplant, or do I need to wait it out after flowering? I mean, look at all those friggin roots!

Third and fourth questions are about the keikei (that is what it is called, right?). Should I be misting the forming root(s) daily, or is it just going to keep going if I don't. Keep in mind I live in a very arid and dry place (Denver, CO) and is this a means of my orchid "offing" itself?

So this is what I can think of at the top of my head that I need help with. I appreciate any and all responses and also the patience it takes to read through my writings (ramblings).

Also, I apologize for the very small images. I had to downsize them quite a bit in order to post!

WhiteRabbit · #2 08-09-2012, 01:35 AM

Dang - I hate when I have something all typed out and then lose it or something.

The Oncidium alliance (no way to tell which genus or inter-generic it might be without blooms - even then might not be possible - many inter-generics can look very similar - but can get an idea, perhaps). I would definitely check the roots. They are likely dead. I have found most Onc alliance to be very resilient tho. Looks like there is new growth which will grow roots.

I don't think that repotting the spiking Phal would bother it. No guarantees that the spike will continue growing after a report, but very likely that it will.

Keikis are not always due to stress, or plant dying. The plant certainly looks healthy, so I don't think it's something to worry about. In a dry climate, misting the keiki roots is probably a good idea. Be careful that the potting media isn't staying too wet from it tho.

Good luck!

Wynn Dee13 · #3 08-09-2012, 02:28 AM

I agree!

tucker85 · #4 08-09-2012, 09:54 AM

Welcome to Orchid Board! Oncidiums need a little more light than phals.. Put it in the area of the window that gets the most light. Your phal can be repotted or not, whichever you want to do. It will do fine just like it is until it finishes blooming but if you would feel better repotting it, that would be fine also. Phals do not mind being repotted. I like to mist the aerial roots but you don't need to do it every day. A few times a week is fine. You seem to have a tendency to overpot. It's a good practice to pot phals in the smallest pot that the roots will comfortably fit in. Don't worry about leaving room for new growth. It's not necessary. Other orchids like your oncidium should be in pots with enough room for two or three new pseudobulbs. I'm not saying to repot them now, just keep it in mind when you do repot. Good luck.

Andromeda Lane · #5 08-10-2012, 03:45 PM

Thanks for the insight! Yes, I totally agree that my first Phal was way over potted, the others are all still in the originals I got them in. The Onc however....Ugh. When I originally got this one, it was much brighter, and bigger, and the root system was HUGE! The green ceramic pot it's in was only about a 1/2 inch bigger than the root system in diameter...If that even...It seems I have lost a lot of roots. The lack of care with the hydroton (lava rock) was pretty detrimental...

Should I pitch it? I really don't wanna...I would love to save it if I could...

Right now the medium I have on hand is done by "Better-Gro" and is a mix of raw fir bark, charcoal and coarse perlite.

Fertilizer on hand is 20-14-13

Would this all be good for the Onc? It's seemed to work pretty well on my Phals, but I understand that each species has it's own care needs. I AM jobless, so buying as little as possible would be ideal, but I'll do what I have to do. I hate throwing out plants. It's somewhat gut wrenching...

tucker85 · #6 08-10-2012, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andromeda Lane

Should I pitch it? I really don't wanna...I would love to save it if I could...

Right now the medium I have on hand is done by "Better-Gro" and is a mix of raw fir bark, charcoal and coarse perlite.

Fertilizer on hand is 20-14-13

Would this all be good for the Onc? It's seemed to work pretty well on my Phals, but I understand that each species has it's own care needs. I AM jobless, so buying as little as possible would be ideal, but I'll do what I have to do. I hate throwing out plants. It's somewhat gut wrenching...

The fertilizer that you have is fine for all your orchids. I wouldn't throw the oncidium out until dies. There's always a chance. Try to put it in the brightest area of your windowsill. Good luck with your orchids and with your job search.

WhiteRabbit · #7 08-10-2012, 05:53 PM

Like I said - Oncidiums can be QUITE resilient - I wouldn't toss it. It looks like there is new growth ? If the bark mix you have is 'fine', that would be good. I have used medium bark mix for Oncidiums, and they generally grow fine (tho had good roots to begin with), but it's difficult to separate the medium bark from the roots when the time comes, without doing a fair amount of damage - or at least has been the case for me.

james mickelso · #8 08-11-2012, 01:37 PM

I'd leave the oncidium right where it is but don't over water it. And like everyone here says, give it all the light it can get short of full sun. I think it is too late in the season (Denver) to repot it without setting it back a lot. Just don't water it too much. I have little luck getting oncidiums to grow new roots on old mature pbulbs and so let the new growth that comes this season stay where it is. Next season repot it into a smaller pot. It will be fine until then. Here are a couple pics of oncidium alliance that came to me in much worse shape than yours are now. And the keiki? I'd wrap a little spagnum moss around the base of it like the pic of the catt here. Keep it damp and wait for new roots befoe you cut it off and pot it. Good luck and don't be a stranger.