Orchid Beginner - Need Help! - Orchid Board

jessegranger · #1 05-30-2013, 06:03 PM

Hi All!

My name is Jesse and I have an oncidium and a phalaenopsis orchid. I have been monitoring them closely because I bought them from Whole Foods here in OKC and I realized after repotting that there was no drainage from either pot. I examined the roots thoroughly and believe that both orchid can recover from this.

I saw that many more experienced orchid(ers) were suggesting bark for the phal. but I replanted in a chilean moss mixture that I bought from rePotme.com. Is this wrong? It was their suggestion for phals.

Also, the bulb on my oncidium is wrinkled. I did as another suggested and gave it a water soak for one hour. I am now letting it dry out in the window sill. I can post pictures of all of these things! I really hope I can get some good suggestions here!

jessegranger · #2 05-30-2013, 06:12 PM

Here are the pictures! The root system is of the phal, the bulb is the oncidium. Please let me know any suggestions for either of these guys! I don't want to lose them!

Leafmite · #3 05-30-2013, 07:10 PM

When repotting, I only bury the roots, never the rest. Orchids tend to rot for me if I bury anything but the roots. A rootless orchid is staked on top of the medium and the stakes are removed when the roots firmly anchor the orchid. Repot me stuff is good and their products should work very well. Different mediums work in different growing conditions so you will find that many people recommend different mediums. Net/basket pots are really great. I use them for nearly all of my orchids. Hope this helps. Good luck!

---------- Post added at 07:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:06 PM ----------

It doesn't cause any harm for the oncidium to be wrinkled. Don't worry too much about it. The new growths are what matters now.

RosieC · #4 05-31-2013, 01:46 AM

Welcome to Orchid Board

The phal roots look decent and repotting in fresh quality moss is not a problem. Repotme stuff should be good. Just make sure it's not too tight, generally they pack it way to tight for shipping and that can lead to rot. Personally I get on better with bark but plenty of people like potting in moss. Just be aware that it can be slow to dry in the center and you have to be careful not to overwater.

I agree with Leafmite that the oncidium looks to be burried a bit deep and that could lead to rot. Also the amount of wrinkling you have looks normal for many of these and I wouldn't worry about it.

jessegranger · #5 05-31-2013, 11:22 AM

Okay! Thank you both so much. The pack on the phal is lose but enough that the plant remains stable in it's air pot.

I went ahead and removed some of the bark from the top of my oncidium.

They had both finished their blooming so I cut the stalks of both at the base. This was correct, am I right? I heard many different opinions on this subject as well.

Thank you all very much for your responses, I very much appreciate the continued help!!!

Discus · #6 05-31-2013, 11:45 AM

Welcome

Yes, on the whole, cutting the flower spikes back to the base is the right thing to do. Your phal probably won't reflower until it gets a few weeks of fairly chilly nights (and days; accounts vary) - so you may have to wait until autumn to see much progress there.

SlipperGirl · #7 05-31-2013, 12:33 PM

Your plants look fine I would not worry about the onc unless it gets worse. I have one of my phals in a potting mix from repot me, its mostly moss and the orchid is doing great I can see some rotted roots but that was from me not letting it dry all the way, other then that the plants doing great lots of new roots and a new leag

so just make sure that you let the moss dry all the way before you water and you should be fine

Welcome to OB

KristenJ · #8 05-31-2013, 01:51 PM

Hi,

I've purchased Phals and Oncidiums from Whole Foods and they have outlived the fancier orchids I've purchased at orchid shows. I love these guys. You were right to repot though, because the Phals are always packed way too tightly.

I grow my Phals in loose moss from repotme. I use support stakes and I have the double pots that you have in your picture. I love these pots. My orchids love these pots. I credit them with bringing a struggling Dendrobium back to life! Everyone does recommend the bark it seems, but as long as you are very careful with your watering, I think you will be ok using moss. I have been using it for 2 years now, and the only 2 Phals I have ever lost were goners when I bought them, I just didn't know it then.

My Oncidium is the easiest orchid I have ever had. He doesn't care what he gets or doesn't get, as long as I water him once a week. I saw you posted that you did remove some of the bark, which is good, because I agree with the others that the bulb should be sitting on top of the mix. This is how I have mine. I also agree that you do not need to worry about the wrinkling. This is where they store the water I believe, and I have noticed that after I water it, it will swell up and then by the end of the week, when it is time to water again it will be a little more shriveled. Also, as it grows new bulbs, the older ones will remain a little more shriveled, but as long as the new one is swollen after watering, I think it is ok. This is what mine does.

And welcome to Orchid Board! I love this group. Everyone on here has helped me save many orchids and figure out what I'm doing as I go.

jessegranger · #9 06-02-2013, 12:26 AM

Ok guys! A.) Thank you so much for your help and suggestions. B.) I'm still worried about my oncidium... The new growth is wrinkled as well, but the leaves of the plant look healthy and I am making sure to water correctly. I removed the top layer of bark to expose the whole pseudobulb but I see no recovery yet.

Any more suggestions?? Should I start fertilizing yet? I repotted on May 23rd.

KristenJ · #10 06-02-2013, 12:38 PM

You look green and healthy from the pictures. The wrinkling looks normal too. My only concern is the yellowish leaf. This is going to sound weird, but I've had my Oncidium for 2 years and it hasn't lost any leaves yet. I don't know if this is normal or not. The yellow looks like what my Phals do before they drop an older leaf, so I guess this could be okay.

For fertilizer, I think you are supposed to use a balanced fertilizer while it is growing and fertilize every other week if you're using tap water. I use repotme's FeedMe fertilizer every other week. I don't think it's balanced though, but my orchid has no complaints so far.