Oncidium growth? - Orchid Board

RandomGemini · #1 10-27-2013, 02:30 PM

I have new pbulbs coming in on all three of my oncidiums!

One of the sharry babies, seems to be shying away from the window and I think I will move it further away. The other two oncidiums are growing about 3 feet away from east facing windows, the one that's doing the best is on my kitchen table. It gets additional light in the evenings from the CFL bulb that's hanging in the fixture over the table. It's probably the orchid that I fuss with the least in this house, and it seems to be the happiest, so I'm thinking maybe I should take that as a clue. LOL!

Now that I have these new pseudobulbs growing, how long will it take them to get mature enough to produce a spike?

I'm really starting to feel like I might be able to do this orchid thing after all.

My Green Pets · #2 10-27-2013, 07:18 PM

Hey random other gemini (im a june baby myself

)

I am keeping track of my onc hybrid in this thread if you're interested.

Folks have told me 6-8 months from first little growth peeping out to flowering spikes

WhiteRabbit · #3 10-27-2013, 09:22 PM

Different ones may take different amounts of time ...

And, some start spikes before growth is matured, others only after the growth is fully matured.

3 feet back from a window seems a lot to me ...

Is foliage fairly upright? A bit of arching is normal, but foliage shouldn't be floppy.

kindrag23 · #4 10-27-2013, 09:27 PM

Hmmm I would swing 8mths-1 yr depending on growth rate. I have some now that are growing like weeds. And when they do spike it seems to take FOREVER!! my oncid twinkle I got in double spike 3 weeks ago are STILL growing and show no sign of actually blooming anytime soon.

The spikes seems to be at max height...

RandomGemini · #5 10-27-2013, 09:54 PM

The one on my kitchen table is oncidium sweet sugar. I think that the fluorescent light over the kitchen table is helping it out a bit. The leaves were sort of curly in shape when I bought it, I'll get a picture of the whole plant and post it later, but I wouldn't say they are floppy. I think the growing conditions where ever it was before I got it, might have been a bit cramped or a bit lower light than it wanted. The leaves are a lot brighter green in color now, but I think the curling on the older leaves may stay, no matter what I do. I am going to have to move it from the kitchen table eventually because it's going to get too big for that spot, but I think the fluorescent bulb over it is probably helping it out a bit. I have the perfect spot for it in my office. The light in that window (east facing, but there's no filtering because it's a second floor window) seems to be a bit too bright for some of my mini phals, but I think this oncidium would like it.

My sharry babies are much closer to the window, but the new growth is much smaller and seems to be a bit slower.

kindrag23 · #6 10-27-2013, 10:25 PM

Your sharry baby was in spike not long ago right? one or both? That may be why they are slowly recuperating from the spikes.

RandomGemini · #7 10-27-2013, 10:44 PM

Right. One still has blooms on it. The one with blooms on it has an enormous spike! I had trouble packing it into the back of my car for the trip home! LOL!

I cut the spike on the other one about a month ago.

This is my sweet sugar. Now that I look at it, it is more of an arch. A couple of the darker leaves look almost corkscrewed.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

kindrag23 · #8 10-27-2013, 10:49 PM

I dont think there is anything wrong with the leaves...in fact they look better than my severely sunburned ones do at the moment..

YES their spikes are MONSTROUS! Very beautiful, and VERY JEALOUS you get to find these in your area.

RandomGemini · #9 10-27-2013, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindrag23

I dont think there is anything wrong with the leaves...in fact they look better than my severely sunburned ones do at the moment..

YES their spikes are MONSTROUS! Very beautiful, and VERY JEALOUS you get to find these in your area.

Thanks! I wasn't too worried, but if it needs more light to be happier, I would like to make sure I give it that.

I had to go to Seattle to get the pink one (six hour drive from me). I wish we had a local grower, but we do have an active OS, I'm going to go to the meeting in November, they're having a speaker discuss water quality and I need that because I purchased a dendrobium cuthbertsonii while in Seattle. I am watering it with bottled water right now and I'm terrified I'm going to kill the little thing if I put tap water in there! LOL!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

kindrag23 · #10 10-27-2013, 11:41 PM

Word of caution, bottled has minerals added to it. I dont know this species well but I know my carnivorous plants I have to use distilled only.