Oncidium- Rotting pseudobulbs and pests?

[turock]

Lowes is a wonderful source of discount plants. I bought a Beallara Tahoma Glacier 'Green' early in the year, and it had a rotten bulb and a browning bulb as well. I divided it down to just 3 pseudobulbs and now it is double-spiking. Didn't take much to nurse it back to health, but the Beallara is a pretty tolerant orchid.

I've bought many cheap, waning orchids from Lowes, mostly to do experiments on. Most of them pull through. And, it really is a thrill to see what the flowers look like when you buy them out of bloom.

[Pumpkin92]

Originally Posted by turock

I bought a Beallara Tahoma Glacier 'Green' early in the year, and it had a rotten bulb and a browning bulb as well.

Can I ask what kind of care you give yours? The only oncidium I have that's doing great is Odcdm. Burgundian #2. So anything a little more specific on what kind of care the Beallara Tahoma likes would be awesome. I don't know if this one is a water hog or not.

General update: I picked over both orchids and found nothing left alive, so I'm hoping there's no pests left. I removed the two rotting bulbs and left the third bulb for now. I repotted both in pure bark. The Beallara in finer grade as there was too many roots to fit chunky bark in. The sharry baby got coarse grade. Both are in quarantine, which unfortunately means they won't be getting a ton of light where they're at...

So far I've had good luck with my Lowe's clearance racks cause they NEVER water anything. I bought 3 phals for $1 each. I soaked them in water and the roots plumped up. I was shocked to find only 1-3 dead roots each and I trimmed the bottom, limpy leaves. Now they're my healthiest phals and its been awhile. My Burgundian was also clearance. She had 8 pbulbs and is giving off 5 new growths. Although, I don't want to buy anything out of town again. Other stores water the plants too much and I don't like how the plants were put outside...

[turock]

What I know of Beallaras is that they are not fussy. The only thing I had problems with this year was the heat. My other oncidiums were fine during the upper 90F summer temps, but my Beallara yellowed, even in the shade. When I took it indoors where it could cool down, it greened back up again.

I keep it in a clear plastic pot with extra ventilation holes and a bark - sphagnum mix (probably 80% - 20%). I water it whenever I can't see moisture in the pot. I keep it at normal oncidium light levels (lower than a cattleya or vanda, but higher than a phal). Inside my house, this is in an east-facing window, close to the glass; outside, it sits under a roof awning, so that it receives full morning sun, then bright shade starting at about 11am. I fertilize like I do all my other orchids: 1/4 strength high-nitrogen fertilizer every week, then I switched to high-phosphorus when I saw a spike developing.

I've noticed that the oldest p-bulb has browned a little at its base, and has become slightly wrinkly, despite receiving adequate water. This behavior might just be "a thing" for that species. I've also noticed that it can take abuse. It has fallen out of its pot 3 times this year and had to be repotted each time, even once while in bud. (Finally I wisened up and put it into a heavier ceramic orchid pot. The big bulbs and long leaves definitely make it top-heavy.) It hasn't missed a beat and has continued to make tons of healthy roots. The buds are very near opening, so I'll post pix soon for you to see!

[Pumpkin92]

Thank you turock that helped me a lot! I've been wanting to experiment with putting an orchid outside (despite high heat and low humidity) and this was actually my first choice. So I think you just saved the poor plant. It sounds like it'll like my plant stand once it out of quarantine. It'll be right in between an east and south window with tons of light (as long as its not 100°F outside in which case my house become a vampire's den).

HOWEVER, I must say its too late for the falling over part. It already dove off my table...

I can't wait to see the pictures!

[bil]

I like to use much wider shallow pots. If stability is a problem, I either wire them to the bottom of the pot with wire soft tie, or put a couple of rocks next to them to hold them steady till the roots get a grip.

[turock]

I'm so glad to be able to help!

Yes, those large, leafy oncidiums just have a penchant for nose-diving. Good suggestions from Bil to use wider pots and stabilizing rocks, or anything to add weight to the pot. I chose to go with a lovely and inexpensive heavy ceramic pot from (once again) Lowes! You can find the type with holes all around to provide good ventilation for $8 a piece.


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[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by turock

What I know of Beallaras is that they are not fussy. The only thing I had problems with this year was the heat. My other oncidiums were fine during the upper 90F summer temps, but my Beallara yellowed, even in the shade. When I took it indoors where it could cool down, it greened back up again.

For Beallaras and other orchids that need cooler temperatures, you can construct a zeer and set your plant's pot down into that. A zeer is easy to make and keeps the roots of the plant up to 20 F cooler than the outside air (sorry metric fans, my temperature and relative humidity meter only measures in degrees F).

A zeer relies on evaporative cooling. It is made from two unglazed terracotta pots, one larger than the other. Set one pot inside the other, fill the space between with sand. You need to keep the pots on a tray of some sort to keep sand between the pots. Keep the sand damp and you have an evaporative cooler. I have kept a Coelogyne cristata happy in Georgia (USA) by using a zeer in summer.

There are many pictures of zeers on the web. Sometimes you see these made from plastic pots or buckets or glazed ceramic pots, these will not work because the materials are not porous.

[turock]

Wow, Orchid Whisperer, what a cool idea (get it? nyuck nyuck).

I found some discounted cymbidiums at my local nursery, but was leary to buy them because I didn't know if I could keep them cool enough. This idea just might work... So, gee thanks for enabling me to buy even more plants

[Pumpkin92]

Originally Posted by bil

I like to use much wider shallow pots. If stability is a problem, I either wire them to the bottom of the pot with wire soft tie, or put a couple of rocks next to them to hold them steady till the roots get a grip.

I keep wanting to try shallow pots cause I know they would work better but my growing space is really limited. I have a small 3 tier plant stand in the only part of my house that receives bright light. As it is, when the new guys pass inspection I'll have to kick two haworthias outside and move my bamboos to the kitcen...

Originally Posted by Orchid Whisperer

A zeer relies on evaporative cooling. It is made from two unglazed terracotta pots, one larger than the other. Set one pot inside the other, fill the space between with sand. You need to keep the pots on a tray of some sort to keep sand between the pots.

I googled zeers and they're amazing. It will be on my must try list. Can that be done on a smaller scale for indoor plants? Maybe to trigger a spike?

[Orchid Whisperer]

I have only created and used a zeer for general culture purposes. I have not tried it for spike initiation, but if you try it, let us know how it works out!