Potting advice needed.

[Don Perusse]

I grow all my oncidiums in tree fern w/redwood chips, which prevents mold. The roots on oncs. are fine and many and can find their way thru tree fern easily. Never have had a problem.

[Becky15349]

Geeze, just thinking about that beallara dead makes me misty-eyed....can you get another? I think you should, its exquisite...

[Sandy4453]

brooke, do you grow any in the LECA without using s/h?

Don, I think I'm going with tree fern also.

[Sandy4453]

One more question:

This onc. is recently out of a plug tray (still in that spongy? material that disintegrates, surrounded in spagh.) so, should I wait until new growth before I transfer it?

[Brooke]

Sandy if you mean oncidiums, no I don't. I grow many catts in Prime Agra without the benefit of s/h but I would never do an oncidium in pure PA.

It sounds like your seedling is in a rock wool/sphag combination. IMO it would be better to remove it so you don't run the risk of root rot and I would transfer it now.

If you use the tree fern combination watch for pbulb shriveling since the roots have been used to the extra wetness and will be in a much drier environment.

Brooke

[Sandy4453]

Brooke, thanks so much for this info. Yes, it is rock wool. Just to be sure....when I transfer this, I shouldn't try to remove the rock wool, correct? Just pot the whole thing? Since I'm pretty sure about using tree fern, would you advise I mix in some spagh and maybe a little, sponge rock too? And, how often would you recommend watering?

[Brooke]

Sandy I'm not the correct one to ask about rock wool - I hate it. If you think sphag holds moisture multiply times 10. I know many people use it and love it but I'm not one of them.

Switching this plant from rock wool/sphag to tree fern mix would be the same as switching a phal grown in packed dense sphag to dry bark. The roots on the phal are used to extreme moisture for long periods and when moved to the dry bark on your usual watering regimine will usually cause something to shrivel.

I don't grow anything potted in pure tree fern except four Rodrumnia seedlings I unflasked. I am only trying it as an experiment because someone said I would kill them if any media was used :>)

My plants potted in the tree fern mix are - guessing here - 1/3 t.f. and the balance sphag. I don't have a clue as to how often to water something planted in mostly tree fern. Hopefully someone in your climate will be able to give you more detailed instructions.

Brooke

[Sandy4453]

OK Brooke, I appreciate your honesty and intent not to mislead me down a path of destruction with wrong info. on this.

Don, if you come back to this thread, let me ask you...how often are you watering?

[Don Perusse]

Sandy-I see you are in zone 10a and I'm in 8b. SW Georgia just 35 miles north of Tallahassee. I usually water mine about every 5-7 days now at this time of the year. Then in the summer maybe twice a week. You are a little warmer than I am so adjust accordingly. Orchids are really hardy, just think how much they get in nature. Surely not as much as WE tend to give them save for a rainy season. If you have healthy plants they can go longer. I went on a 10 day cruise in Sept. with no sprinkler system and they were fine. My guage recorded some days at 100 degrees. Happy growing!

[Tommyr]

I grow mine in long fibered sphag moss. Some with perlite mixed in. They seem to love it. I let the media dry almost totally out between waterings. I have 4-5 Carnival Costumes in spike right now.