Oncd. Mendenhall 'Hildos'

[Johnny B]

I have an oncidium Mendenhall 'hildos' that I got 5 weeks ago. When I got it the plant was in need of some help. The roots were quite rotten, I cleaned it up real good and put it in a new potting medium of medium fir bark, hardwood charcoal, and pearlite. It has since bloomed 3 times for me, it has 2 spikes that continue to rebloom. The leaves have started to decline in appearance and feel. I can not get this plant to grow any new roots for the life of me. Any thoughts/suggestions/comments would be greatly appreciated.

-Johnny

[janet_a]

mine also declined when i got it home, so i put it in s/h. seemed to do well for a while, then declined again so i took it out and put it back in bark. it's been doing ok since then (blooming, growing a new little pbulb).

[hera]

Look up info on psychopsis. It's a nice hybrid. They like frequent watering with a bit of a dryout in between. Use potting mix that won't break down too quick because the don't like to have their roots disturbed. Other than that they are flexible on lighting conditions and like intermediate temps. Chunky bark with perlight and charcoal with a little bit of sphagnum on top to encourage root growth would be my choice.

[BGGraham1]

I am certainly no expert, and someone with more experience will probably chime in soon, but I what I would do if it were mine is sacrifice the constant blooms for a chance to regenerate. What I mean is, I'd cut the spikes and let the plant concentrate on roots and leaves for now. If its bloomed 3 times in 5 weeks, and the quality of the plant is degrading, it may very well bloom itself to death.

Just my nickle's worth...

[janet_a]

--however, it can apparently take years for the plant to grow a new flower spike once you cut it.

[BGGraham1]

See?? I told you! I still have 3 Onc. alliance 'chids in Orchid ICU cause I tried to water them to death...

You'll be fine with all the help you'll get here.

[jpyerry]

I have this plant as well, yours is much further along than mine. Mine is about 2 years until its first bloom. It is my first and only Psychopsis so far, so I am pretty inexperienced with these plants.

I would not be too discouraged by the lack of new roots as this plant takes a long time to grow new roots. I have had mine for about 5 months now during which time one of its new growth pseudobulbs has put out 3 new roots. From my research and personal observation, it can take 2 months for this plant's roots to grow an inch. When I purchased the plant, it had two new pseudobulb growths starting, and after 5 months they are still not mature. So, it seems that this plant has a glacially slow growth habit. I would say give the plant the best culture you can and be patient.

P.S. you might consider adding some K-L-N or SuperThrive to your waterings just to give the roots a little nudge in the right direction, just a thought.

[jpyerry]

One more thing, I don't know if it is good practice or not, but with this plant, I actually wait on watering until the largest pseudobulb shows the slightest signs of wrinkling, and then I give it a good soaking. I don't know if this is a good thing, but it seems to work for me.

[Johnny B]

Thank you all for your advice. After reading a bit about psychopsis, correct me if I am wrong. It seems as though I should remove all dead roots from the bottom of the plant so I can expose the crown of the orchid. At this point I should then set it so the crown rest right on top of the medium. I need to water infrequently, and having a bit of sphagnum on top will promote new root growth. A good soak in rooting hormone should assist this plants new root growth? I did forget to mention that It had 2 new pbulbs growing that died off all of the sudden. It has 2 spikes currently, so I guess I could snip 1 of them so it will still be able to bloom, but have more energy focused on roots? Thank you all again for your input, it is most certainly appreciate. I cant wait every time I get on my computer to see all the helpful hints people leave!

-Johnny

[Leafmite]

I grow most of my orchids in lava rock and net pots. I bought a little 'mendenhall' this spring, put it in cattleya light, watered daily, and has put out three new growths which doubles its original size. I do admit that when I bought it, it was very healthy with all good roots and small enough (a few years from blooming size) a plant that it was easy to repot into the lava rock and net pot without damage, thus giving it the most favorable start.
Leafmite

[Leafmite]

I should add that in cooler weather, I don't water as often and I try not to get water on the leaves. I agree that the little round bulbs should be above the media. With the problems you've had, yours may take a little time to recover. Good luck!
Leafmite

[Johnny B]

Should I go with lava rock and sphagnum moss? I clipped off the rest of the dead roots. There is not one living root on the plant. I dont know how it is alive. It still has the two stems that are both attempting to bloom. The buds get bigger every day. Should I snip one of the blooms so it doesnt focus so much on blooming? I dont want to take precious energy away from root growth.

-Johnny B

[Leafmite]

It is living on the energy stored in the bulb. I don't have experience reviving one of these so let us hope someone else does. I've rooted a rootless sharry baby oncidium, dendrobiums, cattleyas and a few others in straight lava rock but other rootless plants I have rooted in sphrag. I know psychopsis was once an oncidium but I'm not certain which rooting method works best for it. With the lava rock, I fill the pot to the point where the plant should sit, secure it so it doesn't move (with stakes, twisties, etc.) and mist the lava rock. This works when you have many growths and lots of energy stored. The sphrag route consists of a plastic vanda basket and about an inch or two of sphrag layered on the bottom. I set the plant in this and keep the sphrag damp but not wet. The basket offers air around the roots to help prevent rotting. Again, the orchid should be secure in the basket. With the colder weather, be sure the orchid is kept warm and with sphrag, a little fan set on low might be helpful. Good luck,
Leafmite

[Johnny B]

I think that sounds like a pretty good idea. I am going to wait a litte longer and see if anyone will chime in here and give me some advice regarding the no root issue I have going on. Thanks so much for your advice Leafmite!

-Johnny B

[Johnny B]

Here are a couple pictures. I am a bit split at to whether this chid of mine is doing better or worse. Here is a picture of the roots. No progress in this department. There is also a picture of the pbulbs. If you look real close you may be able to see this teennnnnny tinnnnnnyyy green thing. I cant tell if it is a new pbulb getting under way or something to that extent. I did cut the two spikes last week in an effort to save the plant. Maybe that was the signal it needed to focus on roots and leaves. Thanks for the advice.

[Johnny B]

Well the pictures are terrible. I will use my camera.

[Daethen]

I can see the green blur in the middle. Could be a root.

[Johnny B]

I am going to take some better pictures when I am not busy with work and shipping chids out durring the week.

[Daethen]

I hope that it is a root. They are a lovely plant.

[orchidea]

The best medium to revive any chid in my few years of growing them is Sphagnum moss. Don't saturate it with water but rather keep it slightly moist. You should see new roots soon.
I keep my Psychs in the shallow water all the time, constantly moist, but I am in Colorado where it's very dry.
Good luck with your Psychopsis and keep us posted.

[Johnny B]

What do you keep your psychopsis in for a potting medium with this shallow water? I have thought of using all sphagnum moss.

-Johnny B

[orchidea]

Originally Posted by Johnny B

What do you keep your psychopsis in for a potting medium with this shallow water? I have thought of using all sphagnum moss.

-Johnny B

Oh no, no Sphag in the water.......That's the formula for rot....
My Psyc's are big plants with lots of roots, few I repotted into a mix of bark, perlite, charcoal and a little bit of Spag. The others are in their original mix still, which looks like bark and charcoal to me. They are in the plastic containers that sit in a dish with about 1/4" to 1/2" of water. I usually wait till they dry, and then water them really good and leave them with some water at the bottom again.
But yours need to grow some roots before you can try something like that. Sphag is very good for growing new roots, but don't keep Sphag too wet, and don't use a lot of it.... that could rot the base of the plant....
I would find the small (short) plastic container, fluff up some damp shpag into it and place your Psychopsis inside. Just make sure it's not dry at any time. You can mist sphag few times a day slightly so it stays damp.
If you have only tall containers, I would put styrofoam peanuts as many as needed at the bottom, then some Sphag, then your plant. You will have to secure your plant so it stays upright...which is not easy sometimes. I would put my plastic container with the plant in a big tall glass vase sometimes...it keeps plant upright and provides extra humidity.....
The best is to keep plant warm and in the humid air after that......

[Johnny B]

Thanks for the advice!

[Johnny B]

Well I have some good news regarding my psychopsis, there was a little bump that looked like it might be a new pbulb trying to grow, well it is. Even more exciting is that I have 2 new pbulbs growing. I looked closely and there are actually a couple of bumps coming off each of the new pbulbs that should be roots in the near future. I have placed a little sphagnum right next to these pbulbs so they have a little better humidity, they look to be doing great. I think a couple of the older pbulbs are giving there energy to the new ones, they seem to be depleating there reserves a bit more. I am pretty excited though! I will post pictures soon.

[Leafmite]

Congratulations! Great news!
Leafmite

[Daethen]

Congrats!!!! You are a good plant nurse.

[Johnny B]

Even better than I had though. I went to soak it really good, it has another pbulb starting. I did notice something that I was not super happy about though, I found a snail that was no bigger then the tip of a ball poin pen on the underside of my plant. There was only 1. I did not see any evidence of snails eating the plant. Is it possible there is only one or two? What is my best option for treatment? I have this plant isolated so it isnt in contact with my other chids.