Oncidium Wildcat Lorene, What Am I Doing Wrong?

[stella3]

Hi, I have an oncidium wildcat Lorene that I picked up at the end of an orchid show for a steal! I've had it for 2+ years and is thriving, Lots of new growth and pseudobulbs. The only problem is I cannot get it to send off a spike. All of my other oncidiums are happy, in various locations of the house. I have this one in the same location as my Oncidium Twinkles, which always flower every year like clockwork. It gets fertilized, probabaly not as often as I should. I have wondered if it's too bright where it is. What am I doing wrong?

[Leafmite]

Oncidium Twinkle doesn't need quite as much light as the larger oncidiums to bloom. I grew the larger ones for many years and always had to give them prime space on my shelves to get good blooming. Now that I grow just the Twinkles and cheiroporum, I am getting nice bloom spikes with them behind the other orchids and on a lower shelf. I hope this helps.

[stella3]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Oncidium Twinkle doesn't need quite as much light as the larger oncidiums to bloom. I grew the larger ones for many years and always had to give them prime space on my shelves to get good blooming. Now that I grow just the Twinkles and cheiroporum, I am getting nice bloom spikes with them behind the other orchids and on a lower shelf. I hope this helps.

Hmmm interesting...I worry that is gets too much light. Its front and center on the top shelf. It even gets direct for a few hours this time of year due to the trees off the leaves and the sun lower in the sky.

[Leafmite]

I was just giving you my best guess based on my experience with growing oncidiums. I'm sure others will have better explanations to offer you.

[WhiteRabbit]

Generally, if a plant grows well, but doesn't bloom, first thing I suspect is that it needs more light.

It sounds as tho it gets more light this time of year than the rest of the year ...? If so, try a sunnier spot the rest of the year.

[Optimist]

Or too much fertilizer with nitrogen in it, if you are getting only vegitative growth.

[james mickelso]

Oncids need lots of light to bloom. The smaller the species or variety the less light needed. Pale green leaves is key. Not yellow green but just pale green. Could be the ratio of N to PK but not usually. Oncids are heavy feeders at higher light levels. They do need more calcium than catts though.

[NYCorchidman]

I don't think too much light is an issue here as your other oncidiums are growing and flowering fine.

Too much light that will burn the leaves will be a problem.

Wildcat hybrids do not require a lot of light to flower well, although high light does bring out the best show out of them as is the case for many other orchids in general.

Do you know if this plant ever flowered before you had it? How big was the plant at the time you got it? Was there any old and dead spike as a sign that it bloomed before?

Sometimes, there are "crap". While most oncidiums bloom wonderfully under the right conditions like your others do, some make little flowers to none, hence, crap.

When I buy oncidiums, I always pick the one with the largest spike with the most flowers.
Plants at sale are all grown under nearly ideal conditions in the professional setting (or so I assume). So selecting the best flowering one will ensure that you got the "good" plant.

[stella3]

Thanks for all the replies. Sorry it has taken me forever to get back on! I will try to answer all of the questions.

When I bought it it was just going by, flowers where shriveled and falling off. I believe it had 2 spikes. It was also pretty big when I bought it. I thought it was a good deal for $10, worth a shot!

Perhaps, it's a fert issue. I use a weak 30-10-10. Is there something better I should be using? I live in somewhat of an isolated area so I just picked up whatever the local garden center had for orchids in stock.

I have also been tempted to divide it because it's getting kind of unmanageable. I haven't divided it because I didn't want to shock it or impede flowering.

[stella3]

Guys, It's in spike! I have been waiting YEARS for this!

I divided it into 4 plants in march and put them in various locations throughout the house. This particular plant is in my very sunny kitchen bay window. It was looking terrible and I was thinking I was frying it and should really move it, until one day I inspected it and there it was! A little spike emerging! I have no idea how long it will take from now until bloom time, but I will try and update with a photo....or 10

Now I want to move all my oncidiums to this window!