Potting advice needed.
 

Advice on potting this Onc. that I'm receiving today will be most appreciated. The only Onc.'s that I've had any success with so far have been Toulimnias, Sweet Sugar and Carnival Costume.

Can you please advise what you think would be the best potting medium for Oncidium. J.C. Terry 'Incensesation'? I'm going to be keeping this on the patio, high, indirect light until springtime.

Thanks for whatever growing tips you provide!

Here's a pic of what I'm getting, not in bloom....yet!:biggrin:

:bump:

I saw your post before, but wasn't sure what to answer since I never heard of this particular plant! If your other oncidiums are doing good in the mix they are in, why not repot this one in them same mix as them? That's what I would do I think.

Sorry that I can't be of more help!

Hey! Sorry I missed this one, its a good valid question. I've been growing oncid alliance plants successfully in both regular bark media and hydroton (but hydroton is better, IMHO)for about 3 years, so here are my tips:

1. If you have hydroton on hand and don't mind keeping the plant out of high intense sun for a while, I'd recommend repotting into hydroton.
2. Hydroton is an excellent media for oncids because it delivers more even humidity to the roots, and the fine texture of oncid roots really seem to love to grow big and strong between the hydroton pebbles.
3. If you opt to use a bark media, I think it can be a little more fine - oncids like more evenly humid conditions than catts, for example, so I think using something that will hold more moisture will benefit them in the long run. I don't have any brand names of bark media to suggest at the moment because I grow 100% in S&H right now, but I'm sure others will pipe in with suggestions.
4. After you repot (regardless of which media you choose) keep the plant in a low-light environment for at least a week...up to 3-4 weeks if you repot into hydroton, because it will need to initiate new roots suitable for living in hydroton.
5. Oncids are thin-leaved and like medium light. I would recommend an eastern exposure window, but if you have southern or western, that would work too, just keep the humidity up and a fan on them so their leaves don't burn. They don't need as much sun as catts.
6. Mist the plant daily to keep humidity up.

Those are suggestions that have worked for me - if others have more ideas, that would be great to hear! Good luck with your plant, it looks awesome!! Oncids are so fun to grow - they have never let me down, and they usually have a nice scent when placed in direct sunlight for a brief period!

Camille, I agree with sticking to what works. I've just done some wrong things with them in the past and want to avoid it this time. I think my problem is more with the Beallaras and Milt crosses (e.g., Miltassias) that I've lumped (all) into the same cultural requirements that's gotten me into trouble. Thanks for your input!

Becky, thank you too for this broad explanation you've given. I'm a big fan of hydroton too...use it on all my Catts. They love it and have gotten outstanding results ... with Catts...I wasn't as lucky using it on my Miltassia or Beallara and I think, I'm confusing all these intergenerics by assuming one growing requirement for all (medium, included) which, is where I was badly mistaking. I think I've decided to go with tree fern fibers, something I've yet to use straight for onc.'s. Thanks again for your suggestions. I really appreciate your comments.

Sure! You're right, they may not be quite as similar to oncids as I'd like to think...I'm always way too simple-minded for all these classifications, I tell ya! I wish I had time to study them all!

What do you have your Beallara potted in? I have mine in fine bark, but it's struggling. It needs to be repotted soon (once it finishes blooming) so I'm searching for other possible mixes. I know we don't have the same climates, but I'm interested in knowing what works for you for that particular plant.

Well Camille, the last time I potted it, was in the dumpster..:bua:..just 2 weeks ago. Losing this one hurt, more than any others I've lost. See pic below and you'll understand why! What I did wrong with this one was keeping it in much too high temps and also, didn't have it in direct cross air ventilation which it so direly needed. BUT, before I screwed up so badly, I had it potted in bark with a little coir added. I cut the bark pieces smaller than the medium size I bought but not as small as seedling mix...somewhere in the middle of the two. It loved it, just hated the temps and suffocation I allowed.

Good luck with yours. They're exquisite plants. Here's a pic of mine, in happier times, may it rest in peace.:tombstone: :bua:

Beallara Patricia McCully 'Pacific Matriarch'

Sandy I grow most my oncidium family, including the beallara in s/h and they love it.

I never had one problem with a decline with the switch but just the opposite, they grew like weeds. They grow in the same light as my catts in the middle of the g/h, not even close to the cooler wall.

I'm moving the rest of them to s/h when they are finished blooming.

Brooke

I'm sorry to hear it died:_( It was so gorgeous! At least you will have learned from your mistakes, and if you do get another one (which you should;) ), you will know what NOT to do!

I grow all my oncidiums in tree fern w/redwood chips, which prevents mold. The roots on oncs. are fine and many and can find their way thru tree fern easily. Never have had a problem.

Geeze, just thinking about that beallara dead makes me misty-eyed....can you get another? I think you should, its exquisite...

brooke, do you grow any in the LECA without using s/h?

Don, I think I'm going with tree fern also.

One more question:

This onc. is recently out of a plug tray (still in that spongy? material that disintegrates, surrounded in spagh.) so, should I wait until new growth before I transfer it?

Sandy if you mean oncidiums, no I don't. I grow many catts in Prime Agra without the benefit of s/h but I would never do an oncidium in pure PA.

It sounds like your seedling is in a rock wool/sphag combination. IMO it would be better to remove it so you don't run the risk of root rot and I would transfer it now.

If you use the tree fern combination watch for pbulb shriveling since the roots have been used to the extra wetness and will be in a much drier environment.

Brooke

Brooke, thanks so much for this info. Yes, it is rock wool. Just to be sure....when I transfer this, I shouldn't try to remove the rock wool, correct? Just pot the whole thing? Since I'm pretty sure about using tree fern, would you advise I mix in some spagh and maybe a little, sponge rock too? And, how often would you recommend watering?

Sandy I'm not the correct one to ask about rock wool - I hate it. If you think sphag holds moisture multiply times 10. I know many people use it and love it but I'm not one of them.

Switching this plant from rock wool/sphag to tree fern mix would be the same as switching a phal grown in packed dense sphag to dry bark. The roots on the phal are used to extreme moisture for long periods and when moved to the dry bark on your usual watering regimine will usually cause something to shrivel.

I don't grow anything potted in pure tree fern except four Rodrumnia seedlings I unflasked. I am only trying it as an experiment because someone said I would kill them if any media was used :>)

My plants potted in the tree fern mix are - guessing here - 1/3 t.f. and the balance sphag. I don't have a clue as to how often to water something planted in mostly tree fern. Hopefully someone in your climate will be able to give you more detailed instructions.

Brooke

OK Brooke, I appreciate your honesty and intent not to mislead me down a path of destruction with wrong info. on this.:biggrin:

Don, if you come back to this thread, let me ask you...how often are you watering?

Sandy-I see you are in zone 10a and I'm in 8b. SW Georgia just 35 miles north of Tallahassee. I usually water mine about every 5-7 days now at this time of the year. Then in the summer maybe twice a week. You are a little warmer than I am so adjust accordingly. Orchids are really hardy, just think how much they get in nature. Surely not as much as WE tend to give them save for a rainy season. If you have healthy plants they can go longer. I went on a 10 day cruise in Sept. with no sprinkler system and they were fine. My guage recorded some days at 100 degrees. Happy growing!

I grow mine in long fibered sphag moss. Some with perlite mixed in. They seem to love it. I let the media dry almost totally out between waterings. I have 4-5 Carnival Costumes in spike right now.

Don, thanks for your input, so very appreciated. My doubts come from all the intergenerics (namely, Beallaras and Miltassias) that I lumped all together when considering their requirements....big mistake. Unlike you, I went away for the month of August and when I returned, my orchids were in frightening conditions...and I had a caretaker!:biggrin:


Tommy, love the Carnival Costume. I almost lost mine just a couple of weeks ago, when I noticed some leaves falling and upon closer inspection, some leaves were chewed. After some neem oil and pesticide, I found a milipede (or centipede, not sure). I have that one in spagh/tree fern/sponge rock. No spikes but my Sweet Sugar is about to burst!

Sandy,
I grow a fair number of intergeneric oncidiums and have settled on a mix of 4 parts medium CHC, one part #3 perlite and one part of medium charcoal. I am not sure if the last two are necessary, but I sure feel better with them in there! I really pack the mix and tend to use the smallest pot I can get the roots in and still allow at least 2 - 3 years of growth. You & I probably have the opposite problem in that the mid afternoon humidity here usually runs in the mid teens in the summer. I have been using this mix about the last 8 years and so far, it's OK but I am beginning to feel that some of the CHC isn't as good as it was a few years ago. I probably need to search for a new source. The picture shows some of these plants on the very right side of the greenhouse. By the way, that isn't brown tips on some of the leaves, it's a figment of your imagination!

LOL! Didn't see any brown, Jerry. I was too busy drooling over all those plants you've got. I see pics like these and I get impatient waiting for 'someday' when I get to have my GH. The Onc.s (more than the rest) really taking a beating here in summer if I don't have fans constantly running. It's humid here 12 months a year, a break now and then in winter and constant from about May through October. I never used CHC as the main ingredient but use quite a bit in some of my Phals and Bulbos. I ended up using mostly tree fern and spagh (4:1) and putting a big layer of charcoal and styrofoam on the bottom. Now, if I can only figure out if I put the oldest growth in the right position in the pot...only 2 bulbs and I'm not sure if the smallest growth is just starting or if it's the first of the two.:scratchhead:

[QUOTE Now, if I can only figure out if I put the oldest growth in the right position in the pot...only 2 bulbs and I'm not sure if the smallest growth is just starting or if it's the first of the two.:scratchhead:[/QUOTE]

That's why the pots have a center!!!!