Oncidium in Semi-Hp with upward growth
 

My Noid Dancing Lady was converted to Semi-HP about a year ago. She adjusted very well and is almost in continuous bloom. A few weeks ago I noticed some of her leaves pleating. She still has some space for side growth but has begun stacking her pseudobulbs in an upward growth pattern. It's the stacked pseudobulbs who's leaves are pleating due to lack of moisture. The base of these pseudos cannot touch the potted HP pellets and this has resulted in more of a mounted growth habit. I've sprinkled and tucked additional HP pellets around the base of the uppermost growth (taking care to avoid areas where a spike might emerge), and plan to regulary mist the targeted areas. The additional pellets should dry out after a brief period of time. Hopefully this will resolve the issue by encouraging moisture and root growth without causing bulb rot.

My Mtssa. Dark Star 'Orchids Works" is sooooo overgrown in a 4 inch pot that many of the new pseudobulbs are coming in with pleated leaves. I haven't been able to repot because it had so many spikes; many have opened but several more have emerged and are still in tight bud. I placed its pot inside an 8 inch pot and tucked sphagnum beneath the pseusobulbs hanging over the edge of the 4 inch pot. I hope this helps provide some more moisture to them.

It seems counter-intuitive to have an oncidium in semi-HP with pleated leaves but I guess the problem is no different than mine.

I hope this works for both of us :)

orchidbingo

Is your's growing upwards too? Mine grows in a 7" pot. It has a little space to grow on the sides, but the pseudo's in the center are sending new growths out that have no where else to go but up. The new uppity bulbs are larger and plumper than last year's growth and they look very healthy. Maybe this is the normal growth behavior for mature Oncidiums. I suppose in natural enviromental conditions the gaps would receive moisture from a collection of decaying leaves and other debris.:dunno:

Yes, there are 2 in the center that have been growing upward with their roots hanging down, not in contact with the medium. I will try to upload photos on Monday. Our DSL at home has been very, very slow and it won't upload jpegs right now.

I've never grown oncidiums before-- just Catts, Phals, Vandas and Dendros so I have no idea if this is normal. All my previous growing expereince was growing outdoors in the Philippines where it is plenty humid!

bingo

This was my first Onc. too, but a few more landed on my doorstep last summer. One of them was way overgrown. My intent was to split it into thirds and give two away as gifts. It arrived with tattered, speckled leaves and all the overgrowth had dead roots. The bulbs were stuck so tightly together that they had to practically be chiseled apart. Separating her was a brutal experience. I still have all 3 divisions. Each one has developed new growth but no blooms. It will most likely take another year or two before they fully recover and look presentable. I'm not looking forward to dividing another Oncidium. There must be an easier way.