Onc. Twinkle and Gold Dust not flowering
 

Hi Orchid Pals,

Need some help with two of my miniature oncidiums Twinkle and Gold Dust that havent flowered since I got them about 3 years ago. I purchased them as mature plants that should have bloomed by now. Since I got them, I repotted them in small sized orchiata bark and they've grow couple of new pseudo bulbs, leaves and roots but no signs of flower spike. I fertilize them weekly during summer but once in 2 weeks during winter. They are grown under grow lights most of the time except for summer when I put them on the window sill. Our house temperature is 70F. I'm using tap water. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong with these that they havent still bloomed. i live in the pacific northwest, seattle area.

I think your plants are still young, although I have a Twinkle that bloomed in two seasons with only two leaves.

hmm...when I ordered I made sure it was a mature plant but havent seen it flower. I have 2 more oncidiums that have similar problem Onc. Sharry baby and Volcano Hula. Both havent rebloomed since I bought them about 3 years ago. They grow healthy pseudo bulbs and leaves but no flower spike yet.

If so many plants have the same issue, maybe some more light?

hmm...not sure, I grow them under grow lights most of the time.

---------- Post added at 04:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:25 PM ----------

in fact under grow lights they sometimes have leaf burn.

Attaching some pictures of my Onc. Sharry Baby and Onc. Volcano Hula.

I've lived in Seattle. I think they need more water and more light. In 3 years they all should have many more growths. If you can put them outside in Summer they will enjoy the warmer temperatures.

I have Gold Dust and Tsiku Marguerite, growing outside in Florida. They both start spikes in October and bloom in January. Is it possible your plants are not getting the seasonal day length and temperature changes they need to initiate spikes?

More water and more light seems logical, but to rule out excessive nitrogen , what formula is the fertilizer and at what concentration are you feeding them?

This was my thought too. My Twinkle had at least twice as many pseudobulbs before she flowered for the first time.

As they say, orchids teach patience!

It can be many factors. The best approach, I think, is to give it the best required conditions. To achieve that, the best is to follow ES's suagestion: put it outside, in a shade but bright location.
How many times a week are you watering?

Yeah light is definitely a challenge in seattle. But all my phals initiate spikes without issues. Maybe the need for light is more for oncidiums. If I use stronger grow lights the leaves get burnt. Sure will try to leave them outside. I'm so scared of pests after the scale issue that I had 2 years ago that was a nightmare.

---------- Post added at 10:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:24 AM ----------

That could be a possibility. My phals however dont have issues initiating spikes with the temperature changes. Maybe onc require more temperature drop?🤔

---------- Post added at 10:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:28 AM ----------

Ray, I'm using the repotme MSU fertilizer with tap water. I feed them fertilizer weekly as per instructions 1tsp per gallon of water.

---------- Post added at 10:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:30 AM ----------

Oh wow twice as many pseudobulb means another 2 years🤔 100% orchids teach us patience😀

---------- Post added at 10:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:32 AM ----------

Roberta, summer times I'm watering every 3 days but winter its usually every 7-10 days

Water sounds fine. These don't want to dry out. Oncidiums do want more light than Phals. (Almost everything wans more light than Phals...) Light duration is also a factor. Under lights, 12 hours a day is about right. This time of year, if you put it outside, it will get extra hours, for free, and also some temperature variateion.

Your threats outside probably won't be bugs, rather birds and squirrels. Spider mites are everywhere but typically attack during times of warmth, sun and low humidity. That occurs occasionally in Seattle.

Edit: Another thought. It makes sense to grow plants suited to our environment. There are lots of orchids that enjoy maximum temperatures of 70 F. Have a look at Miltoniopsis, Zygopetalum, Odontoglossum (now lumped into Oncidium but still often sold under the old name), Masdevallia, Dracula, and various species in the Pleurothallid tribe, like Pleurothallis, Stelis, Lepanthes. Many very large and widespread genera have high elevation species that like cooler temperatures. Look at Den. cuthbertsonii and its hybrids. Intergeneric Oncidium hybrids do well at those temperatures, especially those with cool growing ancestors like Wilsonara and Vuylstekeara. Many Oncidium species should do well for you.

You've mastered growing Phals. at quite low temperatures. That means you've learned not to water too much. Most cool growing orchids will need more water than your Phals. need.

Join your local orchid society. They can help a lot.

Hmm that makes lot of sense since my phals bloom well but not any other variety. Grow lights I have them on 8-10hours usually.

---------- Post added at 11:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:01 AM ----------

It used to be that way before es. Summers are way hotter than what used to be earlier. We rarely needed air conditioners before but now its hard to manage without an ac during summers. Global warming is real🙁 I'm not as much worried about mites but more about scale. I had scale infestation 2 years ago during the hot summer when I opened downstairs windows that face the garden in the backyard. But i agree i shouldn't be depriving it of natural light and environmentally just with the fear of pests.

Inadequate light is my guess. I’m growing a few intergeneric Oncidium hybrids in my Cattleya area. LED grow lights are on 15 hours a day, which does give some red shade to the plants; I have, however, gotten 2-3 growths from each plant in the last six months. Most were 2” or smaller, and all have been moved to 3-4” pots now. Most are grown in NZ sphagnum, but I do have a couple bigger ones that are potted with a mix of rock wool cubes, coconut cubes, medium orchiata, and LECA of my own formulation. Temps are 65 avg. nights and 78 avg. days, with 55-60% humidity average, and good air movement. With those parameters, I’m watering around every three days, with K-lite @ a 50ppm N target every time. Kelpak and a probiotic monthly as well. I’m expecting blooms on the current, or next growth from all of them, some have already bloomed. Oncidium Twinkle did so with 4 growths in a 2” pot for me.

I also grow an Odontoglossum cristatellum in my sunroom at the corner of a S and W facing window that put up a total of 11 spikes on the last round. It’s in a 6” basket with sphagnum that is set inside a terra cotta pot and gets watered about weekly with the same fertilizer solution with a monthly soak in clear water for 15-20 minutes. If history is any indication, this will bloom again around Thanksgiving.

Sorry es, somehow missed seeing the latter part of your post about cool growing orchids. I did try a miltoniopsis but unfortunately killed it. And I've also heard that they require lot of humidity which is a challenge in our house as its pretty dry in winter's. I've also heard that they are very difficult ones to grow . I havent tried the other species but wiill hopefully buy them in the future..i have one Oncidium intergeneric which has rebloomed couple of times. I also have a zygo which went through a setback when I had scale issue. But now its healthy and has grown couple of pseudobulbs and I'm hoping it will soo bloom. For zygo I used a mix of leca and bark as they dont like drying out.