[sandra]

Back in March I bought an Oncidium croesus and potted in bark, charcoal, perlite. A while later I noticed the ps.bulbs seemed shrivled and I wasn't overwatering or underwatering. Since I had some luck with sphag (on onc. and dend. seedlings), I changed the media to sphag for this plant. It began growing new ps.bulbs, the leaves looked healthy except for a few here and there that turned yellow. Now it's about 3 months since I've had it in sphag. and decided to check the plant out just a little while ago. ALL roots except where the new growth is, have rotted....completely! There are plenty of new roots where the new growth is but the entire plant aside from that has lost all it's many roots.

I don't get it how some people have such great results with sphag while others, don't. I understand the other dynamics that come into consideration when using this media but I thought the compensation in moisture obtained from sphag. would work in the plants best interest. I let it dry between watering but not completely and am wondering if I kept the plant too wet afterall.

It's back in bark, charcoal and perlite now and will stick to sphag. for seedlings ONLY! Live and learn.