Two bedraggled no ID plants followed me home

[Keithj]

I visited our local Homebase yesterday intending to buy just a few plant-pot saucers, which they had, but I also saw some bedraggled orchids on the marked down table. There were well over half a dozen Cymbidiums but several looked beyond hope and several more looked to be on the same road. I found two that had some signs of life and bought them. They were marked down to £2.50 from £20.00 and even my wife, who's threatening to take my wallet away when we visit plant shops, thought they were worth a punt.

I bought a plant that had come from the same Netherlands nursery - Orchidiva - last October and it's grown very well since, with four strong new growths that should soon be creating their pseudobulbs. One of the new ones is very likely to survive, IMO, as it has no less that four new growths at various stages. The other has just one left, with three well-developed growths having died. Those three just pulled away from the plant. Both were very dry so I gave them a good soak and was quite surprised to see moisture emerge from the stumps on the poor plant so it has some active roots somewhere. I put cinnamon on the ends to help seal them up. I thought if moisture could get out them bugs could get in and I'll be repotting this soon to make sure that nothing nasty is lurking already. I think it's a bit high in the pot anyway.

I took photos this morning and here they are, the first two being of the poorer of the two. I was surprised to see that the latest new growth is coming from the smallest and, presumably, oldest pseudobulb on the better plant. We tend to think of orchids as fragile but these seem to want to fight to live.

[estación seca]

Should make it.

[Keithj]

I think so, too. I found a fifth new growth on the better plant this morning and some exposed roots on the poorer plant have pumped up beautifully so at least it has a functioning root system. I'm really looking forward to watching developments.

Keith

[Cym Ladye]

I strongly suggest repotting in fresh mix, shortening the good roots so as not to touch the bottom of the new pot and removing all the rotten roots as soon as the weather warms a bit more. Commercial plants which have bloomed are all candidates for repotting.

[Keithj]

I was planning to re-pot all three of mine as soon as I see signs of new roots from one or more of the new growths. Thanks for the advice, though.

Keith

[Leafmite]

It will be great to see how the blooms look! Good luck with your new additions!

[Keithj]

Yes, Leafmite, it will be. I’ve been waiting for months for a rescue no ID Oncidium to flower and it’s nearly there so I know how it feels. These should look a picture next Autumn/Winter but when I say “I can’t wait!” I mean it. Patience has never been a virtue of mine!

Keith

[Keithj]

I repotted the poorer plant because it was sitting very high and I thought it might have come out of its pot and just been stuffed back in. Not at all! When I knocked it out I was astonished by the roots that emerged. It was in a mix of about 80% peat-like material/20% medium bark which was a pain to remove because the roots had stuck together wherever they touched. There were very few dead roots and I did, inevitably, break a few good ones but it's now sitting in a deeper pot that's about the same diameter. I used Orchid Focus Potting Mix, which seems to have worked well.

I don't think there's much doubt that this should survive and if it doesn't it'll be down to me.

Keith

[Mountaineer370]

It looks good. Nice roots! Nice repot! Best of luck to you.

[Keithj]

I wish the other one had been as good. With six new growths I thought it was the stronger plant but I checked it today and found it was the complete opposite. Most of its roots were dead. I’ve repotted it in bark in a shallower pot as there are so few roots to draw moisture out of the media. Now it’s just fingers crossed.

Keith