Onc twinkle- 1 year update (repot?)

[vcuchick]

I purchased this Onc Twinkle 'white shower' 1 year ago this week...

It really was a lovely plant when I purchased it. Now, 1 year later, it's really gotten big (for a twinkle) and it's shooting up, not one, not two, but THREE flower spikes and I'm hoping for quite a show in December/January...

Here's my question-

At what point should I be concerned with repotting? It's getting closed to overflowing it's current pot. (how often do Onc Twinkle like to be repotted?) This year I've had 4 new pseudobulbs!

(My little mighty monster...ha!)

[Stelios]

i think that repoting has to do with when the particular plant needs to be repotted. Yours looks like it could need it soon.

[mehitabel]

Beautiful little thing!

I agree with Stelios, just about any time. Pot looks stuffed. One sign that an oncid needs repotting is when it starts to need watering more and more often. You've done great so far, trust your own judgment.

[koshki]

Wow, what a great looking plant! I'm getting concerned about mine because the pbulbs are a bit wrinkly. I noticed that you don't have this one in the s/h. Is this the one that doesn't do well in it?

[grandmapenguin]

Your plant is huge Vcuchick. It sure looks great. Good growing.

I am sending along a photo of my Red Twinkle. As you can see it is quite small. I repotted it last Spring after it bloomed and the roots were the most webby looking things I had ever seen. I worked for hours untangling, but loved it. I replanted in the same pot since I read they like tight quarters.
I have counted 12-13 spikes. there are so many I lose count in all the leaves
You can see how small it is. That is my thumb in the left side of the picture.
Terry

[mehitabel]

Koshki, is your Twinkle in s/h? If so, you can easily check on the roots. Wrinkling pbs usually mean dehydration-- either because the roots are challenged, or not enough water. They will sometimes rehydrate when they get new good roots going.

If you do pull it out of the pot to check the roots, give it one of those sugar-water soaks, it might help plump the pbs up a bit. If it's rootless, I would bag the leaves to give it more humidity.

[koshki]

I just got the Twinkle a couple weeks ago. It's in spike, potted in moss, and I was cautioned to not immediately repot it, or I might lose the spike. I can't honestly say if they were wrinkly to begin with, as it's my first oncidium, and I really didn't know what to expect. I don't know what the roots look like at all, as the small plastic pot is not clear.

Might it be stressed from the kitty-teeth holes in the leaves? He's such a monster...he got his first taste of the Fooey! today. Plus another hollaring chase around the house with the squirt bottle. He is so bad.

For as much abuse it's taken, it doesn't look like it's failing (unlike the den he got ahold of). I'm keeping it moist.

Can you water it with sugar water without taking it out of the pot?

[mehitabel]

Hi, Koshki-- kitty teeth, I don't think they do much harm unless the leaves are totally shredded. What's a few teeth marks here and there among friends?

The thing about "don't repot or you'll lose the spike" is that if the roots are going you often lose the spike anyway. But it's your call, you know what's going on first hand.

About putting the sugar water in the pot (I've actually wondered about that), BUT 1) ants love sugar water, and some of it would stick to the medium, enticing them for a long time and 2) watering, especially if there's no roots, isn't the same as soaking. Soaking bathes the whole plant in 100% humidity, and lets a rootless plant take in water and nutrients thru the stomata on the backs of the leaves.

Misting the leaves with water with some superthrive in it might help. Be sure to get the backs of the leaves. Bagging the leaves is another option. I bag the leaves of everything that has less than perfect roots for a 6-week period or until I can *see* it's ok. I've had much more luck since I started doing this.

Good luck. Twinkles are delightful.

[koshki]

Good point about the ants! I think I'm just going to keep a close eye on it and just wait and see. It's now in a room where I can close the door, but sometimes I forget, as I did for only a few minutes this morning.

Vcuchick, sorry for hijacking your thread! Did I mention your plants look terrific??!!

[amersault]

nice! great growing, guys!

i only have 1 spike on mine so far but 4 new PSBs so i'm hoping the other 3 PSBs spit something out soon.

i think growers from experience have learned that these like to be tight in their pots. and by tight, i mean tight. you can consider repotting it next year, after it blooms, but only to a pot slightly larger.

[patticake]

I've found that most Oncidiums like to be tight. That way they can't really be over watered. They like a good drink, but then to approach dry rather quickly. However that works out for you, is the right way! I have yet to see a spike on my little Twinkle, but I'm hopeful! Good growing! Your plant looks awesome!!!

[trinigirl]

You must be doing something really great with that plant, its growing really well. A repot to a next bigger size sounds like a good thing to do. Good growing.

[hulaorchid]

OWW! What nice fat psudobulbs!! Great growing!!

[Forever-mango]

Very nice Onc.

Do you keep it indoors all year round?

[carbonia]

hello vcuchick, lovely plant you got there. and 4 flower spikes that is v. good. i have a couple of oncidiums, and have come to understand them over the years. i give them a cold spell in winter no higher then 12c at night and 15-16c day, reduce water and no feeding between oct and feb, when days get longer and lighter start feeding again, increase water etc. at this stage assess if plant needs repotting, the criteria being that if there are lots of roots outside the soil you might want to repot at this stage rather than wait till the plant has produced lots more psudobulbs by autumm and is ready to flower again. also in march you might notice a bit of shrivelling of the ps/bulbs. dont worry about that ,as you recommence normal watering you will find that the bulbs plump up again. Experts in the orchid society i frequent advice against disturbing a plant in full spike as you might interfeer with flowering. Wiser to wait till end of flowering then repot. It is unlikely that the waiting will arm it, the plant doesnt look stressed to me.I have an onc which i neglected by acciden, by the time i spotted it it was well and trully dryed up, i was in 2 minds to ditch it but then i watered n fed and it had 6 spikes soon after and it is a real beauty. Some onc are scent scentd,is yours? Hope to see it in flower. good luck

[vcuchick]

Originally Posted by koshki

Wow, what a great looking plant! I'm getting concerned about mine because the pbulbs are a bit wrinkly. I noticed that you don't have this one in the s/h. Is this the one that doesn't do well in it?

Koshki,

I didn't transfer this into S/H because everyone who has that I've spoken to (and there are always exceptions) haven't had good success...it's in fine bark mix and what I do is about once a week I'll take it and it fits inside a coffee cup- i'll put it in the coffee cup and water it until the water almost reaches the top of the cup but not over the pseudobulbs. Then i'll let it sit in the water for about 10-15 minutes while I water everything else...

I've also had success with letting it sit in the hot summer months in the nursery tray in shallow water...it wicks up what it needs.



as for everyone else's comments- thanks so much! Each new pseudobulbs seems to put out two spikes each...At this rate I'm going to have to add more growing room! (all my plants grow indoors at my office in a south-east facing window.

[koshki]

That's a great idea! I will try this soon.

Thanks for the tip!

[carbonia]

well, whatever you are doing it obviously is right for your plant which looks absolutely lush. i put mine out in summer but have to be in constant lookout as the whether is truly umpredictable.

[oncidiumlover]

I purchased a red twinkle this winter, repotted it in a 4 inch pot, it's got plenty of room to grow, and it's putting off it's first two spikes for me, just poked up in the last couple of weeks. I potted it in coir mix, seems to like it, lots of new little green and white roots I can see through the pot, she gets watered roughly once a week.
It was definitely slow going for months after I repotted, so if you do repot, be patient.

[oncidiumlover]

pic from when I bought it and one from today