Ugh, Sphag packed orchids - I'll always repot if I even buy

[nogreenthumbs]

Originally Posted by estación seca

The starter plug is not an issue. Starter plugs contain very old roots. They're already dead, or dying soon. Just leave it alone, or you will tear up good roots trying to get it out.

Remove the moss gently. Don't go nuts getting every strand. Repot. It should not take an hour to clear moss off the roots. Orchid growing is not a good hobby for obsessives (except the laboratory part.)

Noted.

[bil]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Orchid growing is not a good hobby for obsessives

I disagree. If you weren't one to start with, you will be once you start growing them.

[estación seca]

I saw your other thread about this plant. Sphagnum moss actually works very well for most Oncidium intergeneric hybrids. Unlike Phals and Cattleyas in moss, you should never let Oncidiums in moss (or any other medium) dry completely. During some seasons I have had to stand Oncidium hybrids in sphagnum moss in dishes of water to ensure they had enough water to prevent pleated leaves.

I don't always repot each plant on arrival. I look at the medium carefully and assess the roots. If the plant and medium look good, I wait until the most appropriate time in the plant's growth cycle to repot. I absolutely would not repot any bifoliate Cattleya, nor any species Cattleya, unless it were actively making new roots.

[nogreenthumbs]

Originally Posted by estación seca

I saw your other thread about this plant. Sphagnum moss actually works very well for most Oncidium intergeneric hybrids. Unlike Phals and Cattleyas in moss, you should never let Oncidiums in moss (or any other medium) dry completely. During some seasons I have had to stand Oncidium hybrids in sphagnum moss in dishes of water to ensure they had enough water to prevent pleated leaves.

Thanks. I'll monitor the media closely.

I don't always repot each plant on arrival. I look at the medium carefully and assess the roots. If the plant and medium look good, I wait until the most appropriate time in the plant's growth cycle to repot. I absolutely would not repot any bifoliate Cattleya, nor any species Cattleya, unless it were actively making new roots.

OK, yeah, I guess some orchids are very touchy about that sort of thing. I did repot a Cattleya (unifoliate or is that monofoliate?) recently that wasn't actively putting out new roots, but fortunately, it started sprouting roots within a week. It's pbulbs don't look great, but they aren't horrible either. I'm hoping/assuming it'll get by and recover nicely, but may be a little stunted. I think I had already caused some issues by over-fertilizing which was why I repotted.

[ShadePlant]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

I actually went back to a spag mix from repotme.com. As much as I hate spag, I like this. My IKEA orchids came in something similar as did some of my Hausermann's plants. If you water when almost crunchy, it works well.( Please don't pile on me, it's been a long day).

We all have to do what works best for us in our environment. I use the bark, hydrogen, lava rock mix from repotme but found in the summer my orchids were getting too dry too quickly. They do better for me when I mix handfuls of spaghnum into the mix.

[nogreenthumbs]

Originally Posted by ShadePlant

We all have to do what works best for us in our environment. I use the bark, hydrogen, lava rock mix from repotme but found in the summer my orchids were getting too dry too quickly. They do better for me when I mix handfuls of spaghnum into the mix.

I suspect I've just been tainted by having 2 orchids that had so much sphag packed into a tiny pot that it was practically a solid brick of the stuff.

[ShadePlant]

Originally Posted by nogreenthumbs

I suspect I've just been tainted by having 2 orchids that had so much sphag packed into a tiny pot that it was practically a solid brick of the stuff.

I was tainted for a very long time as well. I too had some that I really don't even understand how they managed to pack it all in that pot. It's a bit like watching the clowns get out of a clown car.

[bil]

Originally Posted by nogreenthumbs

I suspect I've just been tainted by having 2 orchids that had so much sphag packed into a tiny pot that it was practically a solid brick of the stuff.

I have had orchids come where all the roots were dead, and the plug of solid dead roots and sphagnum was so dense, I could screw a wood screw into the plug, and it would hold the weight of the orchid with ease.

They had sent them to me in a box, with no insulation in at the height of summer, knowing it was shipping to a hot country. They had also sprinkled coarse black grit over the surface of each pot, presumably thinking that I was so stupid, I wouldn't notice the dire state of the pots.
When I rang them up to complain, their comment was, "We don't send orchids out like this!"
Really?
You think that I am too stupid to believe the evidence of my own eyes?