Oncidium culture - Orchid Board

mattryan · #1 07-13-2011, 09:17 PM

Hello I am hoping someone can help me. I purchased today my first oncidium. It was a sale and a noid, but there are so many genera of oncidiums I am hoping that if I post a pic someone can direct me to the culture needs that will be compatable to this orchid...Hopefully that will give me a starting point. Thankyou for your help

I did repot it today as the moss was gross, I re-potted in a fine-med bark, perlite,char mix...was that ok...geeze I hope so

sii · #2 07-13-2011, 10:02 PM

This reminds me of my green monkey I recently purchased.

Where did you buy your oncidium?

Sorry I don't have culture sheets bookmarked.

Zoi2 · #3 07-13-2011, 10:21 PM

I have no idea on the ID of your plant but your potting media looks good. I keep my oncidiums moist, not wet and they get just about catt light. I fertilize weekly and the ones in the house have a fan on them 24/7 for air circulation.
Joann

glengary54 · #4 07-13-2011, 10:57 PM

Zoi2 covered the basics perfectly!

mattryan · #5 07-13-2011, 11:07 PM

Thanks for the help guys. So Zoi2 it can go outside? If so what kind of temps, sun and light I have 2 cyms on east side of my house, they have been outside for a couple of mos now. They only get morning sun and it is cooler there too. Would this work for my oncidium? Sii I got it from bradford greenhouses which gets I believe all their orchids from Crystal star in Aurora. Thanks again for the help

silken · #6 07-13-2011, 11:23 PM

It looks like the leaves of an odontoglossum type. Likely a hybrid with both cooler and warmer loving ones in it. I have a few hanging from trees in the backyard and so far they are loving it. Some like the Burrageara's and Vuylstekeara don't like a lot of high temps so outside might suit it well. I would think the morning sun would be a good place. Just make sure if it is lots of sun, that you maybe ease it into it and monitor it. We have had lots of rain and some real humidity and my Burrageara Nelly Isler pseudobulbs just plump right up and it looks so happy! It is also in spike. I think these type really like having water fall on them for hours at a time. Something that doesn't happen indoors! And the cool moist breezes

Once yours blooms you may get a better idea of what is in its family tree. It sure looks like a nice plant.

tucker85 · #7 07-13-2011, 11:24 PM

I think outside with AM sun is fine. Your potting mix sounds pretty good. I let my oncidiums dry out completely but I don't let them stay dry long. They like more moisture than cattleyas. They also tend to get leaf spotting fungus so it doesn't hurt to spray with a fungucide occasionally. Although the leaf spotting fungus really doesn't hurt the plant much. Good luck.

mattryan · #8 07-13-2011, 11:57 PM

Thankyou silken and Trucker I will probably put it outside tom indirect light and see how it does. Hopefully I can get a rebloom this yr or early next (no idea) and then it will be easier to figure this one out. Thanks again

WhiteRabbit · #9 07-14-2011, 02:51 AM

I have a number of Onc alliance (a couple of Oncidiums, and some intergenerics) that are outside, and get some morning sun - they seem to like that.

A couple of my small Oncidiums (Twinkle, and a noid that is a bit bigger than Twinkle) do like to dry out inbetween waterings - but all my bigger ones (Sharry Baby, and the intergenerics) I don't allow to dry (tho climate here is much drier than Florida).

Most seem to take a fairly wide variation in temps, too.