Pollinating Oncidium

[jpchandler207]

Hi all,
I have several Dancing Ladies about to bloom and I was think about pollinating them. I know they are quite small so this won't be easy. I have a stationary magnifying glass so I can observe the flower. Other than the obvious, are there any tricks to successful pollination of these little lovelies?
(I checked back about 6 or so pages and did not see this as a thread topic. Sorry if this have been asked before.)
Cheers,
Joe C.

[silken]

Sorry, I don't know but I will bump this for you.

[orchidsarefun]

quite a lot of pollinating - mini phal, to zygo's, to oncidiums and miltoniopsis. The most valuable thing I have found is one of those long forceps with a tiny pinch point. I have been able to carry out the most intricate pollination - forget about a toothpick !
......and don't forget to remove the pollinia of the orchid you are pollinating, you don't want an inadvertent selfing....also make sure you label the flower with the cross.

[jpchandler207]

Thank you. Excellent advice.
Joe

[WhiteRabbit]

good luck! let us know how it goes, please?

[jpchandler207]

I will. I have successfully crossed several of my dendrobium and a couple of my rhynchostylis. I am waiting to see if a cattelya cross has worked or not (tto soon to tell, yet). I am hopeful that I can do these oncidiums. Would be so great.
Joe

[orchidsarefun]

what happened on this ? My miltoniopsis cross with Onc Debutante took but not the cross with a onc Copper Falls.

[jpchandler207]

Well, I meant to get back to this thread a while ago, but...
I tried twice to get my oncidium to self cross but with no luck. Not sure why but I am going to continue to try until I either succeed or determine that my technique is just not adequate for this species. I have succeeded, however, with several dendrobium, a rhynchostylus, a vanda and an ascocenda. So my track record is not bad. I will do some further investigating to see if I can determine a better technique. (I have tried a couple cattleya as well, by the way, also with no luck.) Maybe someone else has some ideas?

[orchidsarefun]

it may well be that oncidia/that family are difficult to self. It may also be that the ploidy on yours is "off" ( whole new subject )
Hopefully someone else can give input.

[jpchandler207]

Without further cross attempts, I won't know for sure. But, your suggestions ring true to me as well.
Joe