New Oncidium owner with a few questions

[judith_arquette]

I am new to orchids in general, my husband gifted me with my first Phal last september and sadly I killed that one along with a few others. With all the knowledge and support I received here I have managed to keep 4 alive and doing well Because of that I finally gained enough confidence to agree to let my husband get me another. This one is a beautiful Oncidium. Can I use the same large chunky bark as a growing medium for the Oncidium as I do my Phals? It came potted in moss and potting soil, since most of my problems with losing my Phals involved root rot I'm terrified that I'll lose the Oncidium to a similar fate during the learning curve. Are they that much different to care for than Phals?

[PaphMadMan]

Your plant is a Brassia hybrid, though it probably has some Oncidium in it too - still Oncidium Alliance in any case and general culture is the same. Most Oncidium Alliance plants should probably have finer bark than standard Phals since they have finer roots. But a chunky bark is much better than the wet mess that mix it is in now is going to become. Short term, just make sure not to over-water it. Long term, go with the bark mix you have or get something finer, and water a little more often if it is in the coarse mix. Most orchids will do just fine in a pretty broad range of potting material. Watering correctly for the mix is the key.

[WhiteRabbit]

I have a few times used a medium fir bark mix for Onc alliance - they did fine, but it is a pita at repot time to remove the chunkier bark from those fine roots ... Water before potting mix dries completely. Generally, more light than for Phals, but it depends on how much light your Phals get

[My Green Pets]

Welcome to the Oncidium alliance! I was terrified when I got my first one, but after a few months of watching it grow, I decided I liked it better than my Phals! You will love seeing the new growths peeking out, swelling, splitting open, and then spikes growing out of them!

I am not an expert, but I will say that these don't like to get too warm. 70's is perfect for them with really bright light. I actually left mine too close to the open window one day last September and it got 4 hours of direct afternoon sun and wasn't fazed! The key seems to be having air moving around it so it can cool itself.

Good luck and enjoy your gorgeous Brassia hybrid!

[Orchidsoutdoors]

That looks like it's mostly, if not all, Brassia. They can handle it much airier and drier, so chunky bark is fine. It will depend on your growing conditions though - if you lived in Arizona then you'd go for a finer mix that holds moisture, as you're in a colder, wetter climate then coarse is good. I grow a few Oncidium sphacelatum on nothing but rock, no leaf litter or anything and they do fine as we have hot summers with high humidity. It all depends on your conditions.

[Optimist]

I can't kep phals alive, so I don't bother any more. Oncidiums and cattleyas are more my speed, and those I have are thriving. I am glad you tried again. Believe me, I was about to give up till I found a rescue odontonia (don't know the recent name for it) then, suddenly, my orchids were not dying any more! I thought I would kill it too, but even with thin roots, I find it easier to keep alive. I mist the medium each day at the root line when I am not watering. I keep my oncidiums in a fairly open mix of course bark, volcanic rock, & lecca, in a ceramic pot. Find a window that gets direct morning light, but may be shaded during the other parts of the day. They like to be outside, under trees if it is not too hot or too cold. Oncidiums store energy in their bulbs, but their thin roots can dry out quickly. Some oncidiums have thicker roots like Beallara, and are good beginner plants. The roots under the new live growth is often the only actual living and growing root system, the older roots from the old back bulbs just attach it to the tree. If you see this, don't freak out and think you killed half the plant. Oncidiums slowly move up or down a branch by developing new growth, using up old pseudo bulbs which eventually die and are left behind like old soda pop cans. Of course this takes hundreds of years.

Leaf thickness tells you how much sun they need. They should be medium green. Move them around and find a place where the leaves become medium green. They will not give you new flowers if they do not get appropriate light. Also, these need to go into a cool down mode in around october to have flowers. I have some that bloom in november, some that bloom in january. If you have a covered porch, these like it outside (or under a tree). They need about 30 to 50% humidity. More would mean to water or mist less.

That's all I can think of now.

[judith_arquette]

Thank you all so much for the responses It's so nice to have a place to come where I'll be given real, practical information <3

[shushu45]

I have to say what a beautiful Oncidium!!

Can't wait till mine gets as big as urs and blooms.

[judith_arquette]

Originally Posted by shushu45

I have to say what a beautiful Oncidium!!

Can't wait till mine gets as big as urs and blooms.

Thanks! I would appreciate positives vibes to help me keep it alive...that'll be the real test.