Things just keep getting worse :'(

[Npsen]

A month ago, I posted about one of my orchids found here:
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...-oncidium.html

Well since then I've re potted it , I used Dyna Gro, And increased my watering and it seemed to be okay...

This week though...Well I have 3 green leaves, and one that is half yellowing, one brown Pseudobulb , one yellow and one still green .

I've noticed a black sticky substance at the base of the leaves and Pseudobulb, and these black and brown spots all over the place :S I don't know what to do.

[Leafmite]

A picture would help. What is your medium? How are the roots? I had trouble with oncidiums in bark and had to go with red lava rock. They thrived in that. I soaked them for a few minutes, then let them dry out completely, waited another day or two, then soaked again. I have the mini's now due to space limitations and they are in itty-bitty pots (red lava rock chips) that are completely dry by day's end so I water those daily.
I would show pictures of the black spots. Treat with isopropyl alcohol until you get advice. The alcohol dries and disinfects.
Here is a little reading, too:
Orchid Pests, Orchid Diseases
http://www.houstonorchidsociety.org/...ySueBottom.pdf

Good luck!

[silken]

Pretty much need a picture of the black stuff and spots to have an idea what it might be.

[Island Girl]

If u can post a picture that might help... But I can't say that I'd be able to help, b/c I had an Onc. a year or so ago, and it went down the same path... Till it died

EDIT: Wow, silken & leafmite answered this thread fast! (there was no replies when I typed this up, and was reading the other "before" thread)

[Npsen]

It is in a sponge rock, charcoal , and wood chip mix atm :S my other Oncidium is doing very well in this mix (but it is in a terracotta pot slight difference)

Unfortunately I cut most of the leaves off earlier that were dead T.T , but spots like shown in the picture were all over everything


I thought increasing the watering would help :S I have had nothing but problems since I got this orchid in the first place. The roots I'm pretty sure are almost non-existent.

[silken]

That pseudobulb definitely does not look happy. Are there any new ones or is the other one plump? Oncidiums are prone to spotting, some more than others so it's hard to say just looking at that dried up bract whether that is a problem. lots of mine have a few spots and grow fine.

I wonder if it is over-potted. I can't tell for sure but most orchids do best in a pot only big enough to fit the root mass and one or two new growths. The media stays too wet if it is too large of pot. Oncidiums don't like to dry out completely but shouldn't be soaking wet either. Water well, drain well and then water just before they are dry.

Edit: I read thru your original post. the plant at that time didn't look to be over-potted and didn't appear to have any spotting or fungal problem. The later pics looked like it was dehydrated. I think that south window was maybe too much for a plant adapting to new potting media and conditions.

You said you use Dyna Gro but is it fertilizer or their KLN rooting hormone? If you haven't done so, I would get either some rooting hormone or some seaweed and when you water the plant, add it to the water and soak it but then drain it and don't water again until it is near dry. Avoid really bright sun. If it has no roots to hydrate itself, it will shrivel up in too much sun. That's really all I can think of to try.

[Npsen]

Nothing new has grown on it =C it never had any plump pseudobulbs when I bought it, they were always shriveled and now they are are very very shriveled. The spotting just recently started to occur.

It was in a 3" pot, and now it is in a 3.5" pot. Maybe it is a tad to big considering that the roots are probably all gone =( very few remaining, I'm hesitant to cut them if they might still be alive.

I have a 2" pot that might accommodate the root loss? It is a terracotta pot (with slots on the sides) perhaps it will be better for it?

I used KLN rooting hormone, I have taken it out of the sunlight, since it is now getting very hot here. I will be moving my orchids (for most of them) away from that window since we have cut the vine that was sheltering it. I have some small phals that might not like all that direct sunlight.

On top of everything >.< Mealy bugs/white flies? maybe have found their way into my hose and have infected one of my phals almost ready to bloom .

[silken]

Not sure what else to suggest. Maybe someone else can help out. It sounds like it possibly wasn't in good health when you bought it. It's not uncommon for Oncidiums to have some very wrinkled pseudo bulbs. It depends on the hybrid. but usually the latest one producing the blooms should be reasonably plump.
Old dead roots would be mushy. Anything firm, even if its brown, I would keep. Possibly giving it a good soak in KLN or maybe SuperThrive or seaweed will have different hormones that are more effective for this plant. But over watering it is not going to make it survive and could possibly be a source of spotting or bacterial growth. What you need is a new little growth to start at the base and get far enough along to produce its own roots. Most mature growths don't produce new roots although I have seen it happen occasionally on some orchids.
As far as pests, isolate the infected one ASAP from the others. You can use a Q-tip and get the mealy bugs with alcohol one at a time. However if they are the white fly I am familiar with, I would use an insecticide and get all of them at the same time. White fly were very hard to eradicate and spread easily for me. You will need to treat several times at approx. 1 week intervals to get any eggs that have hatched into new pests. White flies flutter around the plant when disturbed, mealy bugs don't fly but are fuzzy little things that move from plant to plant.

[Leafmite]

Sounds very frustrating. I think I am finally conquering the mealies by spraying heavily with isopropyl alcohol (don't use on open blooms...destroys them). I would put the oncidium in leca or red lava rock, stake it so it doesn't move, and put it outside in a shady place. Water it twice a week and leave it alone. It will either put out a new growth or die peacefully. Rose systemic works well for the bugs, too. Good luck!

[Npsen]

We have had Mealy bugs in our yard...they killed one Honeysuckle , half of a Jasmin that has grown for almost 20 years, Our orange tree has stopped bearing fruit >.< now they want to invade my orchids :S

I will try to buy some stuff for some potting mixes its expensive kinda :C but such is life...

I hope this orchid can make a come back =( I really thought it was quite beautiful.

At least though most of my orchids are in good health ...if this one dies it will be my second Orchid that has died :'(