Help needed on Oncidium repotting

[Luckyelfie]

I have an Oncidium Volcano Queen that I bought despite knowing better. Her leaves were battered and so were her pseudobulbs. It looked like she was planted in dirt but I convinced myself it was broken down coir.

She bloomed beautifully (though the aphids loved her more) and now that she is done I decided to repot. I found she was potted in regular potting soil and she was so densely rootbound I had to hose out the old dirt. There were a few new root tips.

I just shoved her in a pot with bark, medium perlite and a bit of spaghnum since she was so used to wet soil. I couldn't get the media anywhere other than the sides of the rootball. What do I do with her?

[Luckyelfie]

Here are some more pictures.

[Luckyelfie]

Here she is in flower

[Roberta]

Actually those roots look great! I suggest using small bark, and a pot just a little larger than the root ball (you want to allow space for about 2 years' new growth, not more) Add a little bark, tap the pot to try to work as much as possible into the spaces. Then a bit more... if you add the bark slowly and "vibrate" it as you do so, you'll get enough into the spaces to do the job.. Then, you'll need to water a lot more than you did when it was in that mess - these orchids don't like to dry out. But it will appreciate the air that it will be getting around the roots. When you water, water it well - let the water run through the pot, then let it drain. new roots will reach into the new medium.

[rbarata]

One technique for the new medium to reach the center of the root ball is to put it upside down before putting it in the pot and carefully create spaces between the roots with your fingers and put medium inside them.
Then, keeping it upside down, put the root ball inside the pot.
Then fill the rest...

[estación seca]

It will be fine. These are usually very easy to grow and very vigorous if you water enough. They make lots of new roots on new growth, so the plant will adapt to almost anything.

[malteseproverb]

That plant looks to be in great condition! These kinds of orchids tend to have their leaves looking battered when the plant itself is perfectly healthy. There are some nicks on the pseudobulbs but the fact that they are so fat and smooth means you've been watering properly. I bought an oncidium type from Trader Joe's once that was also potted in soil like this, and when I unpotted it it was nothing but immaculate roots. I repotted mine in coconut husk chips and bark with sphagnum on top and it's bloomed yearly for me. Don't worry about getting media in the root ball, it will be fine. I can't see well enough from the bloom photo but it may be the exact same kind of oncidium. I ended up potting mine in a pot almost twice as wide as its original and it filled it quickly. The plant is a monster. I think you made a good choice when you bought it!

[Roberta]

If roots and plant healthy like that, it was probably in some sort of peat mix, not actual "dirt". Clearly the plant didn't object, but for the long haul was good to get it into something familiar - the original mix no doubt had very specific requirements that the commercial grower knew about and worked for them, but for a hobbyist, not so much.

[Dollythehun]

I echo ES. I have that exactly plant and it becomes a beast quickly. I'd pot in a larger pot than Roberta ( sorry) suggested, in small bark with a little spag. You probably can't overwater it and it will take quite a bit of light, too. But, this variety is known for its tendency to throw double spikes. Mine has bloomed twice this year, so it's a worthy plant!