Oncidium with no roots!

[Aleksa]

I bought this Oncidium today, and I repotted it. Unfortunately, every single root was dead! I cutted off all rootage, and potted bulbs in a mix of bark and little peat! Is it possible to survive? What should I do?

[jerrymeola]

Your chances are not good. I would have left some of the old roots.

Actually the best thing would have been to return the plant if the roots were truely dead.

Looking a the picture I would not be so sure that the roots were all dead.

[Aleksa]

No, every single root was soft, and rot! I've noticed that one bulb started to make new rootage!

[arleneg]

Aleksa,

If you notice one has some roots forming, pot it, but don't water for 2-3 days, or until the potting media is dry. Is the one with roots forming has two pseudobulbs? If so, then it may have a chance to survive. I noticed there's one pseudobulb separated. That one will die off soon. Oncidiums need to be in clumps of, at least, three pseudobulbs when divided.

I hope the one with new roots is the one with the two pbulbs.

By the way, after looking at the pic, it doesn't seem like the roots were rotted. Rotted roots are brown/black and mushy. If the roots are white (or slightly off white), they're just old and sometimes will develop new branches of roots.

[Aleksa]

Believe me, all of them was mushy and full of dirty water! Roots are forming on that one separated pseudobulb! I think that this will survive!

Thanks!

[fred]

I am just wondering if you have thought of planting the growths into sphagnum moss ?

I would plant them in sphag untill I had a good root system with more new growths as well.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

The piece without new roots forming should probably go into Sphag and Bag. Get a zip lock bag that fits, add a little mostly wrung out sphagnum moss, and zip up the plant in it and wait. Keep it bright but no direct sun. It doesn't matter if the plant touches the moss or not. May take several months, but the plant should start a new growth and the new growth will eventually start roots, At the first sign of these roots, pot up.

[Tobi]

Cynthia,
If you are using the Sphag and bag, wouldn't you need to open the bag
periodically to get some type of air flow or do you keep it entirely closed
for the full time it's in there?

[Aleksa]

I can't find Sphag here in Montenegro, but I've done something similar: I've puted a bag on a plant, and every day I'm sprinkling the plant, so the conditions are the same as in the sphag&bag method!

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I open the bag about once a week to check on progress, thats all.

[Leisurely]

Oncidiums and its hybrids can be grown from totally rootless and leafless backbulbs. I have grown Sharrie Baby, Sweet Sugar and Colmn Wildcat from backbulbs. There are generally some dormant eyes that will begin growth. The Colmn. Wildcat produced four new growths on three leafless backbulbs. I use a 2 or 3 in. pot with just a small amount of loosly placed spahgnum in the pot and treat like any other potted plant. All Three of the plants, one year from potting, are near blooming size. Have no fear Aleksa. Follow Cynthia's advice and your plant will recover and do well.

[Aleksa]

Oh! Thank You Very Much!

[BillC]

Aleksa, please keep us informed on the progress of the plant. At the first sign of new growth a pic. would be welcome.

Bill

[Aleksa]

Today I checked plant. NOTHING. It looks same as when I got it. It is not growing neither drying! I thought to remove bag and just mist and water her regularly?

[sandra]

I have had a lot of success with potting up in sphag, especially oncidiums, especially seedlings and especially when trying to promote root growth. I've potted them, not placed them in bags with the sphag and it's worked for me. I'm not educated enough to urge you to do this except to say again, I've had a lot of success with the sphag.

[Aleksa]

Yes, but I can't find the sphag here!

[Aleksa]

I thought to put it in that 'normal' moss, but I think that it will be too wet!

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Use what ever kind of moss or other material you have, but keep an eye on it, you may want to change it often. What ever you use, wring it out somewhat.