Sharry Baby PBs

[Gladys47]

This is the Sharry baby I bought many months ago. She is still in bloom. The PBs look shriveled. The plant looks healthy. Should I be concerned? What can I do? Don't want to lose this plant!
Thanks, Gladys

[MariahK]

hmm mine has some wrinkles but not that big or deep. I do know many oncids do seems to get wrinkles on the PS as they get older. But I am not sure if they are a sign of a problem or not I just know most of mine has wrinkles to one degree or another

[mdomingz]

To me, they dont look that good. Way too wrinkled and shriveled. The newer pseudobulbs in my sharry baby are smooth and the streaks go through the whole length but are not in the least deep. The older pb's have deeper streaks but still are smooth. Dont think you should let it get this wrinkled. Pb's are supposed to store nutrients and energy. I dont see anything stored there.

I'm writing on what i know about my plant, but i know others with far more experience than me in this forum can say how your plant is doing.

manuel
panama

[mayres]

The pseudobulbs are little store houses for water and nutrients. When your plant is not at optimum moisture levels it will pull water out of them. I've noted that plants coming out of a greenhouse environment tend to be very plump with no or few wrinkles. Grown in a tripical environment with lots of humidity I would expect the same to happen. If there are any dry periods (in home or in nature) the plant will draw upon its reserves until the conditions allow it to once again begin to save nourishment/plump back up.
So, my guess is that it is a combination of watering frequency AND humdity.
Depending upon your growing environment you may not be able to do much for the humidity - a tray of pebbles underneath will give you approximately and additional 10%. You may need to increase your watering frequency? How often do you water this plant?
Take this for what it's worth - it is just my common sense approach from what I know - you may see from comments to come from other members that my comments are not common nor make much sense?
Enjoy! mike

[cupcake]

She doesn't look happy. Have you checked the roots?

[Gladys47]

No, I havent checked the roots. I water with the skewer method. Do you think it would help to let it soak for awhile/ Gladys

[mayres]

Any way you slice it the plant needs more water. Hopefully the roots have not been compromised - because if they are not in good condition the plant will not be able to get the water it needs regardless of the frequency. Do you have it planted in medium sized bark (looks like it)? If so I would repot it into something that will hold more moisture. If you like bark then go with a smaller grade. mike
PS - yes, in the meantime I would soak it for a good long period at least once a week until you see some obvious signs of rehydration.

[jerrymeola]

the bulbs in the front of the photo are long dead.

this happens with oncidiums, but it is more extensive than I would like to see.

what is the condition of the bulb on the right and behind the dried bulbs?

the problem can be from not re-potting soon enough or the plant may have been living on bare roots growing over the outside of the pot which were cut off for sale.

from this point it will be a slow recovery

[Gladys47]

Jerry, Those are the bulbs n back. The ones in front don't look quite as bad, but I am still not happy with them. They are shriveled also. But I just looked and I do see some new roots coming off some of the new ones in front! I ut it to soak to see if that will help some. I will takerit ouit of the pot tomorrow and see whats going on. I was concerned with doing it this time of year. I have some Phal mix, spag, peat moss and perlite. Could I make a suitable mix out of this or should I go buy something? The stores here only sell med. bark. I have to go to Pasadena for supplies and the weather is supposed to be terrible today! Pasadena floods! I have someused coir rom GS hermit crabs,I thought about that ,but scared to try it! So I gues my question is; If I unpot tonightwill it e ok for a few days till I can get supplies? I feel I need to take immediate action. I just lost one onc. to a bacterial rot! Advice PLEASE! Gldys

[mayres]

I would not expect any sudden changes - unless bacterial rot or pests are involved, most of the issues that affect our orchids in a negative way culturally do so very gradually over weeks, months, even years of slow decline - depending upon the specifics. If you have read any of my other posts you will note that I am a fan of coir mixes - be they home made or something like Aussie Gold - they do a much better job retaining moisture for plants that require it. If you find a fine fir/perlite mix be sure and soak for 24-48 hours before using and then you many also need to soak when watering for awhile - until the media gets into a mode of retaining the moisture your plant requires. My guess is that the phal mix that you have noted would work as well though I have no experience in a mixture made up of those components? Many different options are obviously available and it is our challenge to find what works for each of our cultural and environmental conditions. Good luck - mike

[terry_sealey]

Gladys the plant will be fine out of the pot for a few days. I assume that it is not in spike. Just don't put it under too much stress by getting it too hot (keep in the shade) or by putting it too near an AC unit. You can always spray the roots to keep it going.

[chefatplay]

Gladys, I have a brassia (onc) that I repotted into sphag moss. It is as happy as can be. I have two new growths 5 inches long and one more that is popping out with two more definite possibilities. The sphag seems to keep it more moist, they like that. I agree, sphag scares me, too, but I have started keeping a very close eye on the plants I have put into sphag and am impressed with the results.

The important thing with sphag is do not overwater. Since I still have a busy schedule, overwatering is not my major problem.

[elitebettas]

I agree with chefatplay, sphag works wonders on ANY ailing plant I may have, they seem to thrive in it, if i pot a plant in sphag in a clay pot, I water twice a week, if in plastic once a week. I'm wondering if you repotted the plant from when you got it? Bark and clay dry quickly, especially the grade you have, it looks a bit too large for fine oncidium roots. And remember to soak the bark for a day or so before repotting, or the dry bark will not hold much if any water and dessicate the plant quickly. Good luck

[jerrymeola]

Gladys,

If the other bulbs look good, you do not have too much to be concerned about.

I have had this may times. It will not win any awards for foliage, but the new growth will flower.

When you re-pot you can begin to remove the oldest worst looking bulbs. I have some old mounted Oncidium that they only good bulbs are 18 inches higher then where the plant was originally mounted. The old sections need to be removed and discarded.

Just do not discard too much at once. Keep 4-5 pseudo bulbs even if some look poor.

Think of your plant as it is growing like your hair. Eventually it looks poor and we cut that section out. It is natural.

You can try soaking the plant in the future to slow the wrinkling of pbulbs but it is a nature growth habit.

[jerrymeola]

I want to point out one thing more.

The way the plant is growing in only half the pot leads me to believe that the newest roots were growing over the outside of the pot - behind the photo.

The grower may have cut these off to sell the plant. It happens a lot but is stressful for the plant. These roots were supplying the water to the pseudo bulbs and without new water supply (regardless how often you water) the bulbs shrivel.

You will find new growth to look much better.

[janet_a]

my SB only ever started to look good after i put in in semi hydro.

my vuylstekeara (sp?) is still dying a long slow death in sphag. i tried it in s/h and it kept dying too. maybe i'll put it back in s/h next year to see if it will change its mind.

my howeara, OTOH, is going great guns in straight sphag.

[Gladys47]

Jerry, now that you mention that , I believe it is exactly what happened! That plant had 6 or 7 spikes when purchased. One side of the pot was sort of empty and the other boiling over with new growth! It still has 2 spikes! I repotted anyway with much smaller medium I borrowed from neighbor. I also let it soak awhile in a solution of the worm tea that I recieved yesterday I only removed 3 of the back bulbs tho. I was a little nervous of it being in spike still. But there is new growth and new roots so I hope it will be OK. I just love that plant and I want t to stay specimen size.Esp. since I lost my other specimen size onc. to bacterial rot last week! I'm NEVER going on vacation again!!! Really tho, I am still quite new to this so ifanyone thinks of something else I shuld have done or should o, PLEASE advise! Thank you all,Gladys

[pikevi]

I think it will be fine in a few months. I can only surmise about those wrinkled Ps. bulbs.

I have bought a few 'sickly' looking emaciated orchids and it was an uphill task. The wrinkled Ps. bulbs did not fully recover though I could see some changes but the new growths with Ps. bulbs are normal. I am sure they would have done much better if I had had added some sphagnum moss to the mix. Six months ago I was quite ignorant ( not that it has changed much now ) but with your care it should do well.

Moisture IS the key, along with frequent fertilizing.

Good luck.

(I will post some photos of 'old and new' when there is daylight)

[tom499]

I have a similiar issue with a onc. of mine, The bark its in is too big for the roots, so its not getting enough water.

As soon as its finished flowering I will be repotting, see how much of a difference it makes.

[tizzycat]

Terry, can you tell me what the lovely orchid in your avatar is. I have a very similar one with no ID.