Oncidium health question

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Pimparella

Thanks for your reply

"If new roots are starting,"
So they do look to you like new roots?

What would you use to tie the stake to the orchid? which kind of material? Also, I suppose the plastic bag should not touch the leaves, right?

Also, how often should I remove the plastic bag to spray water into the sphagnum?

Many thanks!

Hard to tell about roots from the photo. Actually, these Oncidium types tend to start a new growth first, and produce roots from there. As far as a stake - I just use a wire twist tie - find a narrow spot, like just above one of the pseudobulbs, to secure it. It doesn't need to be there forever, just to keep the plant from wobbling while it is growing roots. If there isn't a place to fasten a fie, you can also hold it in place with 2 or 3 stakes in different sides of the plant. For removing the bag, probably once a day just to get fresh air to the plant. If the sphagnum feels like it's drying out, spray generously. If it dries out it's really hard to re-wet so don't let it get to that point.

[Pimparella]

Thanks!
Ok, I have done something like this: does it sound ok or should I close completely the bag? as of now, I have put it as a sort of hat

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/2153/gljx2K.jpg

It's big but I did not have anything smaller

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Pimparella

Thanks!
Ok, I have done something like this: does it sound ok or should I close completely the bag? as of now, I have put it as a sort of hat

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/2153/gljx2K.jpg

It's big but I did not have anything smaller

Do you have a clear (or translucent white) bag? It's still important for the plant to get light, and I think that this one won't let enough through. Don't close completely - the idea is just to give a bit of extra humidity. If you don't have one, I think maybe just take it off and water more often. Because the spahgnum has lots of surface area, that will help the "local" humidity situation even without the bag.

[jpope42]

I got an Oncidium (Sweet Sugar) from a gas station the owner grows orchids on his back yard. It was full of flowers when I got it, but the plant ultimately declined, wobbly, pseudobulbs shriveled etc. similar to yours. I almost waited too long to repot as I didn't want to mess up the flowers. The good news is that it is on the road to recovery and has some new growths, so I have hope for it. It sounds like you were smarter than me and did the repot earlier, a lesson I will remember.

[aliceinwl]

The below was mine after I unpotted it. I put it in fine bark in a basket, buried just to the base of the pseudobulbs, tied a pseudobulb to a stake for stability, and watered normally. It pushed out new roots and a new pseudobulb after a few months. It sat for a longtime with just the wrinkled old pseudobulbs, they don’t do anything fast.

These guys really seem to like air flow. I’d be reluctant to bag it. Daily heavy misting/overhead watering of the root zone, seems to be beneficial as long as your media doesn’t stay continuously wet.

Onc. NOID root death in ProMix by Alice Abela, on Flickr

Here’s a one that was in a similar state when repotted but now fully recovered. If you look closely you can see one of the original wrinkled pseudobulbs in the center rear.

Onc. NOID by Alice Abela, on Flickr

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[Pimparella]

So good for me to hear so many stories!
@roberta: the plastic bag is not clear, but translucent and light does get in. Plus, the plant occupies in any case a fairly bright spot in my house so that should not be a problem.
@aliceinwl, i am somehow relieved to see and hear that I am not the only one who managed, somehow, to get an oncidium in such bad conditions! Looking at your post-picture, it's really interesting: the old pseudobulb still remains, while the new ones keep being healthy and chubby.

I am not sure either regarding the plastic bag: I have read quite a bit about it. The only reason why I'll now try for at least few days is because I started seeing the end bits of the leaves getting yellow. And my environment is dry, I guess this is why Phal, Dendrobium and Paph do so well.

Anyway, let's see how the situation looks like in one week or so.
Updates will follow
Thanks a lot like always!

[Roberta]

Pimparella -
Take a look at this thread started by another Board member... these Oncidium types can come back from situations a LOT worse than yours. So there is lots of hope:

My Oncidium - Late blooming

[Pimparella]

Thanks Roberta, that's very good to see indeed!

However, he said "it's not a picky plant", very interesting how things change according to different variables (environment, soil, etc). In my experience so far, I could easily say of Phal that are not picky plants, of Dendrobium and Paph perhaps as well but not all of Oncidiums! I have had few of them so far and all of them have died, exactly in the same way. Pseudobulbs slowly shrivelling till the whole plant died. As I really want to avoid that, I have been recently putting more care and attention in variables such as medium, by instance, while before I would mainly worry about watering and how to water them while that was perhaps not the most relevant thing (I mean, yes, it was but perhaps I should have started earlier worrying about the medium as well).

Anyway, I am really looking forward to seeing some results, in due time of course

Will keep you posted!
And many thanks again!

[Dollythehun]

New roots will generally be white and have green tips.

You can tie the plant to the stake with coated wire, bread bag ties, trash bag ties (twisted together for length) string, old socks or tee shirts cut into strips etc.

Just poke a hole or two in the top of your clear plastic bag and drap it over the stakes plant. You'll just gently lift it off to water, and it doesn't matter if it touches the leaves.

I think that should cover every question you had.

[Pimparella]

Hello everyone,

Here there are some pictures of the Oncidium, more than 2 months later.

As you can see, there are still roots, air mostly and even a new growth. The old pseudobulbs keep srinking, as expected. Should I get rid though of the completely dead ones? They also have some weird black spots on them....
Should I carry on like this? It's still in this sort of greenhouse. Which signs should I wait for to understand that I can take the plant out of the greenhouse?

Any advices?
Many thanks as usual!
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