Oncidium with only 3 flowers on a tiny spike?

[Dante1709]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Please post a pic. It's far easier to tell what's going on with your plant than guess based off of a description.

Here's a photo of the blooms..you might be able to notice how the pseudobulbs are smaller than the last ones ; I'm hoping they are still growing, but they seem pretty plump.


Untitled by Dante1709, on Flickr

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

How many hours of sunlight is the plant getting?

How often do you fertilize?

What kind of fertilizer are you using?

What is the fertilizer's NPK ratio?

At what concentration is the fertilizer you're using, dosed at?

[Dante1709]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

How many hours of sunlight is the plant getting?

How often do you fertilize?

What kind of fertilizer are you using?

What is the fertilizer's NPK ratio?

At what concentration is the fertilizer you're using, dosed at?

I haven't fertilized ever since I received them (around 6 months ago). I've only really given them crushed eggshells as a source of calcium, which I'm not sure does much.

They get 7 hours of fluorescent daylight lighting (a bit on the shadier side) and sunrise to noon of real sunlight. It depends on the season, but I found during winter, the sun would be more direct and longer at this particular window. Now, it's been a bit dimmer but I let them out whenever it's nice enough and they get a lot (maybe too direct) sunlight.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I know some people advocate using eggshells as a source for calcium for plants, but I tend to be on the same boat as you, and am quite honestly unsure if it really does provide a plant with an absorbable and adequate source of calcium. As far as I know, the calcium from eggshells does not readily dissolve in cool or room temperature water.

However, limestone rocks do dissolve in cool or room temperature water rather easily. A better source of calcium for plants would be dolomite, powdered lime, or limestone.

With this particular Oncidium, I think that calcium is not top priority for this orchid. I'm by no means saying that this plant does not need calcium. But what I am saying is that, calcium plays a smaller role in this orchid's well-being than, say, for example, certain Paphiopedilums.

In regards to the plant receiving lighting.

The amount of hours the plant is exposed to light seems appropriate enough.

But…

I think you need to provide the plant with a stronger intensity of fluorescent lighting. It may not be getting the correct intensity of light that it needs to produce enough sugars to warrant larger growths, (I'm speaking strictly in terms of your fluorescent lighting).

Here's what I mean.

1. Plants use photosynthesis to produce sugars.

2. Sugars are a plant's food source.

3. If the plant is exposed to the proper intensity and an appropriate number of hours of light without sunburning the plant, it will produce more sugars than a plant that is provided light that is lower in intensity and shorter in the number of hours.

4. The pseudobulbs of an orchid are modified stems. They serve as storage organs for sugars and water. Sugars and water are stored in these pseudobulbs because in the wild, the area the orchid grows in may have strongly seasonal rains, or it may experience unexpected periods of drought. In either case, the pseudobulbs can provide the necessities of the plant during these harsh conditions.

With the proper lighting, the plant can produce more sugars. More sugars means it will start storing them in newly developing pseudobulbs. The more sugars the plant is pumping into the newly developing pseudobulbs, the larger they will be.

Note #1: Depending on the type of orchid, given "ideal conditions", they will only get as large as their genetic potential allows them to be, no larger.

Note #2: I'm fully aware that your plant is a man-made hybrid. The pseudobulbs are present because the orchid's parents were able to genetically produce them. However, regardless of wild orchid or man-made hybrid, if the plant has a pseudobulb, the purpose and function of a pseudobulb is as I have described, generally speaking.

5. The basic run down is that, a plant needs nutrients to aid in the efficiency of the photosynthetic process. Those nutrients are in the form of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Other nutrients are calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, etc. When provided these nutrients, they are able to physiologically function more efficiently and be in better health.

6. Flowers take up energy to produce. The more energy it has, the more likely it will produce somewhere around the maximum number of genetically potential blooms it can.

Adequate lighting will provide the energy the plant needs to put out a flower. Nutrients ensure the plant gets what it needs to physiologically function properly. When it gets the energy it needs and is "physiologically in balance", it will give you the blooms that it should be able to produce.

7. Moral of the story is:

A) Provide adequate day length and correct lighting intensity.

B) Provide the plants with some nutrients.

Maybe over time, you will see the orchid getting larger and producing better blooms.

[Gage]

My Twinkle does the same thing. It does it's normal big spring blooming, and then has some latecomer spikes that are much smaller. Mine has 2 little spikes right now. You will probably see the same thing in the fall, big blooming then maybe a little something after. Make sure it has bright light though.

[james mickelso]

Silken is correct. In the growing environment where they came from the climate was much different than where it is being grown now. Give it good light, moisture, and food, and it will being growing well again. The small pbulbs are indicative of a major change in it's environment.

[Dante1709]

Oh, okay. I just found out why the sun is less intense now ; during the winter, the sun is closer to the horizon and since the window is almost on ground level, it received a lot of that sun. Now that it's spring, the sun travels much higher and only gives it good light for a limited amount of time.

Also, I meant to say they get 8 hours of natural sunlight ; it can be a bit dim at certain times but I'm currently reevaluating and watching how much sun it's really getting. If possible, I'll try to find another window and buy some fertilizer..

Thanks everyone for answering!

[james mickelso]

And your plant looks like beallara to me. Beallara produce smaller numbers of flowers per inflorescence than pure oncids. I've been wrong before but I used to grow quite a few of them and your plant looks much like my beallara instead of oncidium. The color on yours looks very good so amount of sunlight shouldn't be an issue. Where these are grown commercially, they are grown by the thousands in warm, humid, bright conditions with lots of air flow. I used to have some pics of growing houses. That is partly why the initial pbulbs were so large compared to the ones you grew. Keep them warm, feed them, and water thm just before they become completely dry and the size will increase along with the flower count. Good growing.

[Dante1709]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

And your plant looks like beallara to me. Beallara produce smaller numbers of flowers per inflorescence than pure oncids. I've been wrong before but I used to grow quite a few of them and your plant looks much like my beallara instead of oncidium. The color on yours looks very good so amount of sunlight shouldn't be an issue. Where these are grown commercially, they are grown by the thousands in warm, humid, bright conditions with lots of air flow. I used to have some pics of growing houses. That is partly why the initial pbulbs were so large compared to the ones you grew. Keep them warm, feed them, and water thm just before they become completely dry and the size will increase along with the flower count. Good growing.

It was sold to me as an Oncidium 'Twinkle' and resembles it very much. The previous inflorescence had many flowers, so I'm sure the ID is correct, if you're trying to correct me. Maybe it has beallara in it's genes or something? Not quite sure.

[james mickelso]

Heavens no. It just looked like one I had. Usually what we grow isn't the same as what it looked like when it came to us due to the different environment in which it was initially grown. It will get going with the next growth given good culture.