Vuylstekeara repotting - Orchid Board

Luizacft · #1 10-23-2015, 09:32 AM

I just purchased a beautiful Vuylstekeara cambria 'Lensings favorite' however, i noticed it is planted on Sphagnum moss, which i really don't know that well how to work with. I would like to check with people more experienced if there is any risk to the plant if i repot it white in bloom. I am really not confortable with that much Sphagnum Around the roots

Vuylstekeara repotting-imageuploadedbytapatalk1445607061-204857-jpg

judith_arquette · #2 10-23-2015, 11:57 AM

I can't offer any advice but WOW is that beautiful!

bil · #3 10-23-2015, 12:08 PM

It's prettty indeed.

Me, I repot everything as soon as I get it. Same day. It wasn't always necessary, but it most cases it was, and in some, had I not repotted, the plant might have died.

So, I would rather risk bud blast than plant death. Also, if it is repotted now, then all regrowth of roots will be undisturbed, and you should have a better start on next year's flowering.

I always say I buy the plants for next year, not this year.

ThePinkCucumber · #4 10-23-2015, 02:23 PM

What a beautiful bloom!
I'm with bil here - I repot straight away. I guess I'd rather risk losing blooms that are currently on, keep the plant happy and get blooms next season than eventually lose the whole plant!

Luizacft · #5 10-23-2015, 04:13 PM

I'll repot her. And hope she doesn't hate me for that. Tomorrow is repotting day: 2 cattleyas, 1 rhynchostylis and 1 vuylsketeara to repot! And also the day to fertilize my orchids!

WhiteRabbit · #6 10-23-2015, 08:25 PM

If it were me - I'd leave in the sphag for now, using a skewer to help me determine when to water- tho I always use skewers, anyway

Using skewers to determine when to water

Wynn Dee13 · #7 10-23-2015, 11:40 PM

I would do what Sonya said unless the roots were really rotten or something that requires the plant to be repotted right away. I just don't think you should bother the plants roots unless you really need to. It's also always best to repot when there is new root growth. Sphagnum Moss is a great growing medium as long as you don't over water. I grow almost all my orchids in it. If you don't know when to water, use the skewer method. Good luck!

estación seca · #8 10-24-2015, 01:14 AM

Oncidium alliance plants need a lot more water than some other orchids, and they do pretty well in sphagnum.

Luizacft · #9 10-30-2015, 07:08 AM

Yeap, should have left her in the sphagnum. She is shriveling as if there was no water available. I'm guessing she's killing her roots (I don't think I damaged a lot of roots on repot, she's just bad tempered). So, here I am putting her to root booster. I don't wanna lose that fight. She's so cute!

estación seca · #10 10-30-2015, 12:13 PM

Vuylsekeara is a hybrid between genera Cochlioda, Miltonia and Odontoglossum. They are in the Oncidium alliance. All three of these genera tend to be extremely thirsty plants most of the time, and the C. and O. don't like warmth. Some bloom with new growth and some bloom after new growth is matured. Look at your plant and try to figure out its growth/bloom cycle. In any event, since it was in bloom a week ago and it is spring in Brazil, your plant is probably in new growth or has just matured new growth.

From my reading, some species in these genera like somewhat less water when new growth is emerging.

You don't say what medium you used, nor what is your ambient temperature and humidity. If you're using bark, remember it dries out fairly quickly.

If your growing area is warm, this could be a major problem. Try and keep the plant as cool as possible.

Oncidium alliance plants need a lot of water. They have thin leaves that evaporate a lot of water, and unless there is a good root system and a lot of water to absorb, they shrivel quickly. Don't just accept a plant is shriveling; you can do something.

Your goal is to get the plant to grow new roots, and start taking up more water. It is springtime in Brazil, so this is probably the best season.

Put the plant in the most humid spot possible to lower evaporative loss through the leaves. If there is new growth or new roots, repot back into a medium that retains more water but still has good aeration at the roots. Commercial Oncidium growers here in the US who sell to large stores often use something that actually resembles bagged potting soil - mostly partially-composted sawdust mixed with perlite. Lots of people also like sphagnum for Oncidiums, and people who can water a lot also like LECA.

But you need to change something so the plant can take up more water from the roots.

I recently bought a wonderful Odontoglossum lacerum from Andy's Orchids. I misread when searching its cultural requirements. I thought I read it could be grown warm but that is not the case; it is a cool to intermediate grower, and I don't have much of that.

It arrived, a large plant, in spike, with a large, healthy roots system. I planted it in LECA in a large, deep clay pot and put a layer of sphagnum on top. I set the pot in a deep dish of rainwater so the water level is below the roots of the plant, but the LECA and pot stay moist. The clay evaporates water and keeps the roots cooler. The moss dried out every few days. There have been discussions of cooling roots on this board in the last few weeks and this is where I got the idea.

I put it in my enclosed patio, where humidity is highest around here. I left for a week, with the plant sitting in deeper water than usual. On my return it looked fine, with the spike continuing to elongate. The moss on top was still wet. I might not keep the plant so wet all the time, but it worked for a while. Who knows? Maybe under my conditions this is how I should grow it all year.