Onc. Twinkle. Perfect for beginners?

[Ranchnanny]

OK here is a question on Oncidiums. From looking at yours new one Tommy R it looks very crowded in that small pot. Do Oncidiums like being crowded? If that's the case that is probably why mine aren't blooming. I may have them in to large a pot.

BTW its gorgeous!!!

Sheridan

[Tommyr]

Yes, they love being pot bound.

[Grandma M]

WOW, Tommyr. That is a fantastic plant. All this talk of Oncid Twinkle was too much for me to resist. All you enablers convinced me to order one. A 'Red Fantasy'. from Oak Hill for the GVOS show. It is in a 3" pot so I'm sure it will be a far cry from yours.

Marilyn

[greenbean]

You'd be surprised how much Twinkle can fit in a 3" pot, Marilyn. Mine came in a 3" pot and was overflowing with 13 large pseudobulbs packed in there. Oops, 13, maybe that's why I had bad luck with it at first! Well, like I said before, it's a tough little guy that bounced back fast.

[Jerry Delaney]

Originally Posted by greenbean

Honestly, this is really a matter of the individual and his or her growing conditions.

You are absolutely right Evan. Truth be known one of the reason that many of the long time growers plants grow so good (at least to newbys) is that we have managed to kill off everything that doesn't grow so well!

Originally Posted by Ranchnanny

Do Oncidiums like being crowded?

I certainly agree with Tommy. I personally use medium CHC/charcoal/perlite mix and most likely keep them too wet, but that seems to work for me. But, just because they prefer to be potbound doesn't mean you can't get them to a large size if you like. The picture posted is Onc. altissimum that was posted before on this forum. It is in a dishpan in this picture and has since been auctioned off at the local society (after I liberated a 3 bulb lead). Gee, Tommy, I would have sent you a Twinkle for that Phaius!!!

It is in a 3" pot so I'm sure it will be a far cry from yours.

Marilyn, these things grow so fast that in a couple of years, your 3" pot will look pretty much like Tommy's.

[Tommyr]

Originally Posted by Jerry Delaney

Gee, Tommy, I would have sent you a Twinkle for that Phaius!!!

LOL! Well, the garden centers should be selling those soon.

[pixieStar]

My oncidium twinkle is growing just fine and has all kinds of new growth. I have only had him about a year but I only got one spike with three little beautiful blooms on in about a month or so ago. I was recently told they are "heavy feeders" so maybe that will help my bloom ratio (if anyone has suggestions on how to get a larger profusion of blooms please let me know).

Phals I do not seem to have a problem with (since I figured out I was over watering and rotting their roots in my earliest days of orchid growing) I feel like I get lots of predicable blooms. They also seem to generally last a very long time so are very rewarding for us less experienced orchid growers in that aspect.

Orchids that are a "mutt" kind of equivalent seem to be less fussy also. I have had good luck with anything that is leilio-brass-cat-epid or something with a varied background like that. I think orchid growers should recommend more of these.

Great post, interesting topic!