oncidium in wrong medium, in bloom

[aleksanne]

Hey all.
This is my first Oncidium and Im at loss of what to do. It is Onc. Haven Scent 'redolence'. I purchased it a week ago and It was very healthy-looking when I bought it. No wrinkles on P/B's, robust roots, and grassy leaves.

I usually repot my orchids as soon as I bring them home, but since its in bloom, I was a bit nervous and decided to wait until its out of bloom.

While watering it this morning, I realized that the medium was not free-draining. It may even be soil! I tried pulling the plant out of the container but the roots are extremely bound. Once again, I didn't want to put the blooms in jeopardy so I didn't bother forcing it out. The largest P/B has developed a bit of wrinkling despite not being parched.

I know repotting would be a necessity with the wrong medium, but what about my blooms? How would they fare? Im terrified of the results since this is my first Onc.

Advice! Throw it at me, please!

[mattryan]

I have exactly the same orchid. I just left it and used the skewer method so I didn't over-water. After the blooms were done I repotted it. Goodluck!

Cheryl;

[aleksanne]

Will the soil-like medium not have a bad effect on the roots? I know soil is the last thing orchids like to be planted in.

[Bud]

its not potted in soil....the roots must have pushed the media out since it became potbound thru the days and what is left of the decayed media is a soil like mix that you see....
dont fret: prepare a slightly bigger pot and some media mix then soak the pot in water for five minures; gently ease the whole plant out of the pot....
make sure not to disturb the roots they are tiny and delicate....dont be scared that the blooms will suffer they will remain beautiful as ever just dont dehydrate it or overwater it....it is the storage of water in the bulbs that you must worry about....water it and feed it like all oncidium culture in your grow zone....
*your plant looks like a 'sharry baby' with the chocolate scent....or maybe I'm wrong....

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

If it is in soil, it must be removed from the potting soil. This type of Onc is not a terrestrial orchid.

Even if it is not potting soil, but wood chip debris, I recommend removing the plant from the pot and repotting into fresh media. Like you suspected, over time, a potting media that is not free draining will suffocate and rot the roots out, which is not good at all.

One thing I want you to understand is that even an orchid that is near death has the possibility of still blooming or making an attempt to bloom. Blooms alone do not determine an orchid's overall health, you must look at the plant as a whole.

[mattryan]

As I stated I have the same orchid and I would bet my last dollar I know what it is potted in. Mine was in a soil looking mix, but once you dung down a bit it has almost like rocks in it. It wasn't soil at all. It definetly needs a re-pot as mine was broken down, but I waited until the blooms were done and mine was completely fine, it is growing a new pbulb as we speak. I have had a couple of orchids (onc's especially) potted in this same mix. For this reason, that is the why I posted the remark that I did. Otherwise I usually always re-pot.

Cheryl

[SJF]

It looks really healthy. Did you purchase it in Tradrer Joe's? They get a lot of their orchids from Matsui Nurseries and they plant in a peat mix that gives them great results. There are articles written on how their "soiless mix" (looks like soil) provides them with more spikes and blooms in less time. You can google it. I, personally, would leave it alone until after all the blooms are done

---------- Post added at 09:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:05 PM ----------

btw, just water less often

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Whether the repotting is done while the plant is in bloom or after the blooms are finished is at the grower's discretion.

However, I usually recommend people repot their orchid immediately should the potting mix be inappropriate or clearly broken down severely, even if it is in bloom, just in case there are any possibilities that there could be an issue later down the line that could cause serious damage to the plant.

If "aleksanne" decides to repot after the blooms are finished, and nothing happens, then fine. But should she decide to repot after the blooms are finished and something bad does occur, that's something she's gotta be ok with. This includes if the plant dies.

Same goes for if she decides to repot now, and the blooms drop. The plant has a higher probability of being ok, but "aleksanne's" gotta be alright with not seeing flowers until the next flowering season. If she repots now, and the flowers are ok, then she's lost nothing.

These are the consequences of the decision she has to make and she must feel comfortable with these results.

It must be remembered that sometimes we're dealing with probabilities here, not necessarily certainties all the time.

For every decision or non-decision there will be a result, this is something else that needs to be remembered.

[aleksanne]

Originally Posted by Bud

*your plant looks like a 'sharry baby' with the chocolate scent....or maybe I'm wrong....

Its a hybrid of 'sharry baby' and another onc. which I cannot remember right now. It also smells chocolatey

Originally Posted by mattryan

As I stated I have the same orchid and I would bet my last dollar I know what it is potted in. Mine was in a soil looking mix, but once you dung down a bit it has almost like rocks in it. It wasn't soil at all.

Thanks Cheryl, I think youre right. I worked (practically wrestled!) the root ball out of the container and it was a soil-like mush with some sort of pebbles towards the bottom. They were crushable with finger pressure and crumbled into dust.

Based on what you and SJF said, I think I will wait another 2 weeks or so to repot. I would like to enjoy the flowers for a bit longer.
After repotting, whatever happens, happens.


Thanks everyone, again!

---------- Post added at 11:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:28 PM ----------

BTW, a special thanks to King_of_orchid_growing

You're very wise. I have no idea why I didn't think of that before airing my problems to the forum.
I knew the possible results to every possible decision - I just needed you to rub it in my face (in a good way).

You're the best!

[james mickelso]

Wrong media??? Interesting supposition. This oncidium grew in this media and grew well enough to bloom with two inflorescences and made what looks like 4 pbulbs and all in this "soil". And here is why. In a commercial greenhouse environment the orchid is grown with lots and lots of air movement, carefully controlled temperatures, and just the right amount of very good water and food. The light is also sometimes controlled all with the intention of producing the plants in as fast a turn around time as possible. The key is lots and lots of air movement and the proper temperatures throughout it's growing life. Now we buy it at say TJ's or Home Cheapo and take it home to what kind of environment? Stagnant air, tap water, and variable temperatures. And probably less light than it was used to. Do we see the pitfalls in assuming it is the wrong media? Most likely for your environment it is. But given what it was used to it can be the correct media. In most of what I read here, and what I have experienced since starting to grow orchids instead of bonsai, the two most prevalent problems are #1, too much water for the media. And #2, almost as prevalent, lack of vigorous air movement. Let's say that this oncidium was being grown in Florida. Now it is beiing grown in New Hampshire or Quebec. How much light is it getting? What temps is it now experiencing? What is the quality of the water? Wrong "soil/media"? Or wrong environmental conditions for the type "soil/media"?Another issue here that was alluded to. The pbulb is starting to wrinkle a bit. That is natural to some extent. Given perfect conditions, pbulbs can be kept plump for quite awhile. But that is with perfect conditions which we as hobbyists seldom give. The inflorescences are being produced by the stored starches and sugars in the backbulbs and not by the roots currently inactive becuase of the environmental stresses the plant is experiencing. And this is natural. Right now I would not water it unless you can provide good air movement and good quality light with temps around 60-70 degrees. Once the flowers start to fade, cut the inflorescenses off and repot this. Under good conditions I would not repot it until the new growth puts out roots but that is probably 4-6 months wawaty. Remember that the new growth will be at least half grown before they will put out new roots. And when repotting always remembr=er that the roots of oncidium alliance are very thin, easily damaged, and don't like wet stale conditions which I why I plant in a very coarse open media. That allows me to water more often but not to the point of rotting the roots. Again here are a couple pics of oncidiums and new roots. Notice the age and growth progression of the pbulb before it starts to get roots. The optimal time to repot an oncidium is when the new roots are at least half an inch long or more. That way they are actively growing and providing nutrients to the new growth.