Sick Sharry Baby I think

[Gladys47]

Yesterday I was doing a little cleanup on her. She looks fine, Had one yellow leave.Noticed she was a little loose in the pot, then she just tipped out. Oh MY! The root mas looks wet and brown except for the new growth. It has nice pretty little roots on the new stuff. What should I do? I CAN"T lose her! Thats not a option. Looks wet tho I have watered onloy a little since the cooler weather.Should I take her out and letn her dry out some and give a hair cut. Smaller pot? This is a large plant but not a lot of roots look good. She can be seen at post "Sharry Baby is showing off". Big beautiful girl! I am so upset! Have Dr. appt. soon but will take out of pot and try to post a pic on this stupid laptop when I get home.Will do whatever all my smarter than me friends tell me! PLease Help!
PS. Bulbs on new growth are soft.Rest of plant firm with few roots.I cut soft bulbs off. Be back soon and hope someone has a miracle cure.


Gladys

[PhalPal]

I have just a few Oncidiums and certainly not an expert, but I have had great success with the few I have. (soon to change that 'few' part) I think you have her overpotted and overwatered which may be one of the reasons for your root rot. They like to be a bit crowded with a very loose mix to provide excellent drainage. What mix do you have her in?? I use large coco husks/large perlite/dynarock and mine are doing great, even when I ignored them.

I would try a much smaller pot and more open mix after doing some surgery, in addition to changing my watering habits. Also, have you tried the skewer method?? I swear by it!

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

You need a much smaller pot. A major way that a pot dries out is that the plant itself drains the moisture from the pot by it roots system. So, for a small root system, you need a small pot. You can move the plant intact to a larger pot later and fill around with similar mix when the time comes that the plant is overwhelming the pot with roots. And yes, see the skewer method.

[Gladys47]

I suspected when it fell out that the pot was too large. Never checked because I bought t from a very reputable dealer.It was in a fine mix. A beautiful plant! I am so heartbroke over it.It was special to me for no real reason. That just happens to me sometimes. A plant just grabs my heart and we bond. Maybe some of you know what I mean. I felt silly but I cried like a baby on my way to the Drs. office.(I'm a softie) Anyway, It's out of it's pot airdrying. I had intended to repot when I got home but due to a change in medication I think I better stay on the sofa untill I adjust.Will it be OK do you think. If not I can call my neighbor when she gets home. Shes a saint! Other than the fact she got me hooked hopelssly on orchids! Right now I feel like a bad drunk! I don't want to make matters worse. If this is what getting high feels like I'm not sure I like it! Thanks everyone for the advice . You guys and gals are priceless! Gladys
I did take pics this morn and will post tomorow. On a happier note, all my phals have spikes!!! Thats a good thing.Takes the edge off the bad. SORTA,but not alot. NOW, no more posting under the influence! I'll just read ad learn.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

If you are going to leave it bareroot for more than a few hours, I would cover the roots with wet paper towels. I don't know what your humidity is like, but leaving roots that are used to moisture bare too long will have them die. I have lost roots in a greenhouse with 60% humidity if not misted several times a day. I have taken to placing wet sphagnum moss over roots that are bare when I am waiting to give a division to someone that I know will want to use his/her own special mix. Roots that are normally exposed on mounts are made of sturdier stuff.

[joan gero]

Gladys, I'm thinking you'll be okay. The Sharry Baby is really hardy and can take a lot of abuse; it also regrows roots quickly and energetically. I had 3 mature pseudobulbs of my Sharry Baby fall off from the mother plant because that part of the plant had lost roots, so I separated them in a pot of their own, and now they are a happy independent plant. I never intended to subdivide them, and I'd never started a plant of any kind with so few roots to start. I used the sphag-and-bag technique that people here discuss and it worked well! If you isolate a part that has no roots, or if you feel that the plant simply doesn't have the roots to survive, you have an EXCELLENT chance to regrow roots on the deprived part, or for much of the plant, by simply placing it on some moist sphagnum moss and bagging the mass with a plastic bag (I left one side up to let in a little air)... and quickly I had new roots growing. And if I can do that, YOU can!!! Chin up, it'll work!!!

[Gladys47]

I'm still a littke dingy this morn ,please excuse me.How long can I leave plant in bowl with damp towels? Should I pot into a larger bark mix when I pot up?Should I divide? I don't want to as sge has lost size already.I really love large showy plants GLADYS

[PhalPal]

I have left orchids bareroot waiting for their new home for more then a week. If the towels are kept damp it will be fine.
I would NOT divide this orchid; but someone else might take the side that it will give you two halfs to try to save, doubling your chances.

[Nancy]

I've seen Sharry Baby for sale consisting of one bulb and a flower spike in a two and a quarter inch pot. I've read that following flowering this oncidium requires a rest of about eight weeks with little water. Perhaps this is where the problem lies. My Sharry Baby is losing all its old leaves all at once. It's growing new roots on the newest growths like crazy, it's just a little concerting to have all the leaves fall off. I think I understand what you're going through. Good luck. With all these heads put together the plant is in great hands!

[Tobi]

Originally Posted by Nancy

I've seen Sharry Baby for sale consisting of one bulb and a flower spike in a two and a quarter inch pot. I've read that following flowering this oncidium requires a rest of about eight weeks with little water. Perhaps this is where the problem lies.

I have had one that I rescued from Home Depot about 2 1/2 years now. It
has grown considerably and I don't give it any rest after flowering and even
fertilize every 3-4 weeks during the winter months. I've had it bloom twice
for me and have not had any problems with it so far.

[Gladys47]

It is still in the bowl with wet paper towels. I moistened these with Jerry's worm tea. Have also been misting with the tea early in the day.It is looking much better now. I think today I will try to pot in a 4" pot. If it will not fit I have a 5" clear pot that I could fill a good deal with peanuts and pot in that. Just not sure if I should stick with the fine mix or switch to bark. What is the opinion out there? Will be waiting for response. And thanks so much for so far saving my Baby! Gladys
PS. Cynthia, I do use the skewer method in most of my plants. It was a lifesaver for a newbie.Don't know why I never got around to putting one in this pot. Stupidity I guess!

[Tobi]

Gladys,
I have mine in a mix of medium bark, charcoal and perlite. I feel I can monitor the
watering better with this mix.

[PhalPal]

Having little roots; I would stick to the finer bark for awhile. What do most of you pot your oncidiums in?? I have only a few and I think they are in too chunky of a mix. I kept them in medium coco husk and perlite which is what it can potted in form SBOE, but the pseudobulbs are shriveled no matter how much I water. (there are viable roots)

[cassier]

I also use the coconut husks and perlite mixture for my oncidiums. They seem to like it.

[PhalPal]

It's very confusing when some oncidiums have shriveled bulbs naturally, and in others it means they are dehydrated.

[articuno75]

I always check the leaves. The leaves on Oncidiums will give the "tale tale" signs of dehydration. They'll give an "accordian" look and feel different.

[Gladys47]

Ended up dividing tis in 3 pieces.4 pb's per piece and 2 extra for whatever. Maybe something will live!It broke my neart to split this big beautifl plant, but we do what we must!
It must not have liked the idea too much since I also almost sliced my finger ito 2 pieces! Don't know if the iron in my blood will hep the plant or not, but there wasplenty of it!
Just The day in the life of an orchid lover!

[Nancy]

I think you gave your plant the ultimate self sacrifice. I know you're going to have more plants than you know what to do with after all is said and done. I just have a question. With Sharry Baby, should I aim at keeping the medium moist after some drying, or should I try to keep the pbs from shriveling. Right now my plant is losing all its back leaves, and some of them are not very old. the newest growth, which is about one-third grown, is growing roots like crazy. The plant seems very upset. How can I calm it down? I don't think Valium will work. Anyway, Gladys, I feel your anguish. These plants are a trip sometimes! God Bless.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Bury those extra bulbs in damp mix about a 1/3 deep, and wait. If they have viable eyes, they should sprout in about 2 or 3 months.

[Tommyr]

I will be transplanting mine into long fibered moss soon. I will let it go almost dry between waterings like my other Oncs. I find it easier to keep track of watering with LFS.