How long does a Sharry Baby take to bloom?

[greenpassion]

Hi all. My new endeavor is oncidiums (or to be honest,
addiction/obsession ) I have purchased a spiked and budding Sharry Baby Onc. and it's taking FOREVER to bloom. I've had it 6 or more weeks, and it came with 5 spikes, the fifth one being only about 4 inches long, the first, (I am assuming it's the oldest spike) is close to 3ft, and the others are about the same. Each spike aside from the littlest one has starting branching out, and the oldest one began blooming about a month ago. BUT-so far there are only 5 opened blooms on the oldest spike, lots of developing buds and shorter branches, but OMG! How slow do these guys bloom? I've already noted that the first flower to open has gone by! By the time the first spike and branches has bloomed all it's flowers, the other unbloomed spikes will be dusty from old age! I have this guy in an eastern window sill, with T5 supplemental lighting above the window. It's in what looks like a moss/bark mix, has lots of roots poking thru the holes in the bottom of the pot, and appears to be really healthy. I have moving air in the room, and maintain a temp around 63. Am I doing this all wrong? I know little about oncs, as phals are what I've predominately grown well so far. I also want to move this into S/H once it's finished blooming, but wonder, will this ever happen?

[cbuchman]

It does take patience. A couple of thoughts. Are you providing sufficient water? Thin rooted Oncidiums take more water than those that have fat fleshy roots. It really doesn't want to dry out completely. Are you fertilizing?

Is it 63F at night or all the time?

Also sufficient light? It likes dappled light to bright indirect light conditions.

[WhiteRabbit]

In my experience, it seems most of my orchids take about 3 months to bloom from when I first notice tiny new spikes. Of course, some are faster, others slower.

Sharry Baby can get very long spikes with many branches, and a massive amount of buds. That takes some to grow Mine takes usually around 3-4 months from tiny new spike to blooms.

Lower temps can slow down growth. These can take cool temps, but a bit warmer is probably ideal.

[orchidsarefun]

from the Baker's -

"Onc. Sharry Baby is composed of species of which 76% take warm temperatures, 63% take cool temperatures and 38% take hot temperatures. Grow this hybrid in cool to warm conditions, or 58°F to 75°F at night. It may be tolerant of hot (75°F to 85°F) night temperatures."

I would think 63f all day long is a little cool...

[greenpassion]

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

from the Baker's -

"Onc. Sharry Baby is composed of species of which 76% take warm temperatures, 63% take cool temperatures and 38% take hot temperatures. Grow this hybrid in cool to warm conditions, or 58°F to 75°F at night. It may be tolerant of hot (75°F to 85°F) night temperatures."

I would think 63f all day long is a little cool...

I thought that oncs needed a drop in temps at night. I've been racking my brain on how to accomplish this, as these are in my bedroom. I can raise the temps to keep it higher than 63 easily enough, but do I have create such a drop at night? And in answer to whether I feed them, yes. I water with my own RO water, every 2 or three days, and feed with Ray's fertilizer made for RO water. The other orchid I just posted about is on the same sill as this Sharry Baby, and gets the same light, temps, humidity, and feed. It'd be good news to know I don't have to worry about moving them every night to some place that's cooler than 60F.

---------- Post added at 04:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:25 PM ----------

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

In my experience, it seems most of my orchids take about 3 months to bloom from when I first notice tiny new spikes. Of course, some are faster, others slower.

Sharry Baby can get very long spikes with many branches, and a massive amount of buds. That takes some to grow Mine takes usually around 3-4 months from tiny new spike to blooms.

Lower temps can slow down growth. These can take cool temps, but a bit warmer is probably ideal.

Do you suggest I keep the room warmer both day and night, above 62 or so?

[orchidsarefun]

its true that lower temps trigger spiking in many oncids - in the ones that have developed pseudobulbs and flower off of mature to semi-mature pseudobulbs.
I leave mine outdoors and then bring them in when temps go to about 50f overnight on an extended basis. The spikes then develop in my house temps which never fall below 68f at night and go much higher during the day because they are all in south-facing windows. I can't comment specifically on your conditions, other than to say that the T5s are probably warming the local area up........and how do you withstand 63f all day long ! Personally I would warm the area up during the day..

[greenpassion]

Wow. If I had to keep the temps at over 65 at night, I'd roast. I keep all my orchids in the house year round. I have tropicals outside on the decks thru out the summer. I keep my indoor temps at 60 during the winter due to the extremely well insulation here in my house. It holds heat really really well and is very comfortable, not to mention affordable. In the summer of course, the temps here range from 80 to 90+, until I put on the ac. I run fans for air circulation for my orchids all year.
Thru this winter during the day I can put my bedroom heater up to what ever temps would suit, but when I need to sleep, no way can I deal with that heat. Funny. I moved here to Vt. from the Fla. Keys. Of course, that was 30 years ago...
Question: Can I keep it warm from morning to say 11pm (when I get home from work and need to sleep) and let it be cooler from midnight to the morning?

[orchidsarefun]

sunrise to sunset would be about right, even Winter. If you are OK with lower temps then the temps at sunset should keep them above 60 til sunrise ?

[RosieC]

Mine takes a long time from when I first see the spikes.

I keep mine about 59F in the winter and warmer in the summer. It still grows well and flowers every year.

[WhiteRabbit]

Mine grows extremely cool (to cold) in winter (outside). Definitely less than ideal, tho, and definitely slows growth.