Rehfieliara Jerry Pacific Empire

[NYCorchidman]

Originally Posted by RosieC

Gorgeous.

I grow oncidiums on my cooler windowleges in the house in the winter, and in my greenhouse in the summer. They do seem to do best a little cooler than phals, but not as cold as something like my Masdies. Most of mine came with tags saying 12C minimum.

I think general Oncidium care should be fine for something like this.

Oh, I don't expose any of my orchids down to 12C (I think that's the minimum survival temperature lol ) except for the nobile hybrids, which I have at a friends apartment who has unheated sunroom. They are all developing flower spikes now and it's just lovely sight to behold!!!

By the way, this plant, Jerry Pacific Empire and all other oncidiums I bought this year came in pretty much the same media. some type of moss it looks. but not sphag, much finer, almost like sand but very very light in weight and dark in color.
They must like to stay moist in their root zone.
I haven't repot any of them as I'm not sure what they are planted in currently, although I think I need to find something that retains moist well for them.

I water sparingly in fear of root rot because the media it is in right now stays wet for a while once I water it, but in between watering, the plant dries a bit too much as I noticed that the new leaves are a bit pleated. hmm....

Maybe I should try what I use for my paphs so I can water as often as I like and do not have to worry about rotting, and definitely no drying.

[NYCorchidman]

I must have undwerwatered it. Some wrinkles are seen on the leaves. well, well...
I thought it stopped growing when it was really hot the first two weeks after moving, but one more new leaf is developing now. I also put it away from the window.

I guess it's either too hot here for it or it's just a slow grower. at least it is growing

[NYCorchidman]

This plant has been growing quite well and now sending out lots of roots. I am trying to be careful not to water too much and rot the roots again, but this one likes a lot of water. I see a little bit of wrinkle on the newest leaf again so I soaked the pot for half an hour.

I think this new one might be the last leaf or just one more before it makes a spike (hopefully!)

would be so cool to see that dark spike again.

[camille1585]

Looking good, it's growing well!! Oncs can take a lot of water in the warmer months, particularily when they're growing new growths. I have trouble keeping up with their water needs!

[NYCorchidman]

I thought I was watering enough, just short of taking risk of root rot level. but apparently they needed more because my Sharry Baby has wrinkled leaves, yellow dancing lady also does...basically all oncidium types except for my wilsonara and Tiger Crow Golden Girl.

I have no problem watering a lot, but always wonder if I would kill them by overwatering. tough job!

[camille1585]

I judge watering by the newest bulb. As soon as I see very faint wrinkles appearing, I water. I still get a little bit of pleating on the new growths, but I'd rather have that then end up overwatering...

[Pilot]

When you guys mention wrinkling, you mean in the leaves or the bulbs? I have a sharry baby that grew a new bulb and the bulb is fine but some of the leaves are pleated. I don't know why. It grew the new bulb whilst growing into sh and so I'm thinking it may have suffered some from lack of water. It does not suffer from that now...it has it's pot full of fine white roots that drink up.

[NYCorchidman]

Hi, Ryan, wrinkles both on leaves (the pleated or accordian leaves) and pbs.
Basically all of my oncidium types develop wrinkles of varying degree on the older pbs once they are brought home. I guess it's the lower humidity in my place.

The leaves only get wrinkles while they are growing as new and do not get enough water. since pbs form after all the leaves are formed, I do not have any wrinkles on new pbs usually. at least white the pbs are forming, they look nice and fat, then some time down the road, they end up getting wrinkles anyway.

I have two that gets wrinkles on the pbs but perk up when I soak them in a water bucket for half an hour. It is so fun to watch!

You mentioned s/h. I thought about trying s/h for oncidiums or mainly just for miltoniopsis because they all love water. but the more I read into it, the less I am interested in trying s/h.
How you have to rinse it so often and if the top layer gets too dry, the potential salts buildup can be a problem to roots and bla bla bla....sounds like a big headache for me.
I thought s/h was something I can get lazy with and water less as long as there's some water sitting at the bottom of a container or a pot.