Oncidium "Sweet Sugar"

[got ants]

[Lagoon]

It really is sweet!! You can't have enough yellow orchids!

[Leisurely]

The yellow oncidiums are beautiful, especially Sweet Sugar, my favorite. I have three and one of them is in bloom at all times. One variety, 'excelcior' has a 2" lip.

[got ants]

I'' have to check that out. I saw an Onc Gower Ramsey at the Miami International Show a few weeks back that had large lips like that.

Can anyone enlighten me on how these hybrids are made?

[RosieC]

I have a Sweet Sugar but mines not doing very well.

Do you have yours in quite bright light, it looks like you have it outside. Mine might be too dark. Also what temp, and how much water, mine is shrivling a lot but I'm scared to water it too much.

[Leisurely]

Rosie, I grow mine in small (4") pots with sphagnum and peanuts in the bottom for drainage. I soak and then let the moss dry until very crisp before watering again, which is about ten days. They get a lot of air from the fans and they hang high in the greenhouse where there is bright light.

[got ants]

Rosie, mine is growing in a 8" clay pot, with BOS Mix: fired clay pellets, Sponge Rock, Coconut Chips & Charcoal.

I water only when the pots feel dry. Hanging under my pergola but close to the edge, so medium bright light.

They can be prone to fungus so I occasionally use a fungicide, especially since we are having a wet winter.

It can tolerate 95+ degrees, but anything under 45 and it comes inside.

Good air circulation is best (high in my pergola allows natural breeze).

Easy on fertilizer too, I burned it early on by too much fert, right now, once a month with Southern Ag 13-2-13 6Ca 3Mg and Superthrive....will bump up to weekly in the summer when it's more in the growing mode.

[got ants]

BTW, I've had mine about 1 year now and it's on it's fifth set of flowers. Might've gotten 6, but I repotted it last fall.

Started from 2 psuedo bulbs to filling a 6" pot, hence now in an 8".

Here's a pic of the whole plant....

[RosieC]

Thanks for the advise. I'm going to move it in to a bit brighter light, while not too bright. It sounds like I'm watering it about right but it's very wrinkled