At a loss - Orchid Board

mattryan · #1 01-08-2013, 07:53 PM

I am hoping someone can tell me what I am doing wrong here. I have had 3 Gower Ramsey pbulbs rot 1 after the other. Each time it has grown 1 it has rotted at various stages of growth, I just noticed today the newest has got rot and I've taken it off. Now I have been very careful when watering, even staying away from the newest growth because of the previous 2 problems. Could it be condensation somehow? It is in a southerly window and it can get fairly warm especially when sunny. I don't know how many more eyes my Gower Ramsey has. I lost a Onc. Wildcat because of pbulb rot and it never grew another and slowly went downhill. So I am very careful not to get water in the newest growth. I find it must be something else because to lose 3 in a row it is making me sick

. Anyone have this problem before, any suggestions would be most helpful. Thanks

Cheryl

billc · #2 01-09-2013, 06:36 AM

I don't know Cheryl, I splash water all over my oncidiums and oncidium intergenerics and other than an old bulb fading naturally haven't seen what you're experiencing. Is there something happening in your media? Fungal or bug related?

Bill

greengarden · #3 01-09-2013, 07:27 AM

My oncs get flooded and stay very wet when it rains and don't have that issue either. I'd be looking at whether it is getting too hot or whether there is an infection of some sort

cbuchman · #4 01-09-2013, 10:49 AM

I struggle with a similar problem and have found my Gower Ramsey to be prone to rot. I'm thinking that my medium does not drain sufficiently fast and am now trying a much looser medium in the smallest pot possible. My plant is managing better, but only time will tell.

mattryan · #5 01-09-2013, 11:13 AM

Thanks for the replies. I did mange to grow 1 pbulb to bloom then, had 3 new pbulbs on that growth rot in sucession. It is the only 1 of all my oncidiums that has done this. Hopefully another pbulb will grow, but I am really worried. I think I will move it completely away from direct light and maybe put it near a fan if another 1 grows and hope for the best. Thanks all

Cheryl

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #6 01-09-2013, 12:20 PM

A pic of the plant would be preferable in order to get an idea of what is going on with it.

Growing Oncs, I've had to deal with the kind of rot you're talking about a few times.

I've also dealt with Onc Gower Ramsey before when I was managing a greenhouse. I've not found them to be terribly difficult.

Some things to consider would be:

1. As was mentioned, keep the potting media/medium in mind. What is it? How well does it drain? How old is it?

2. What kind of pot is it? Different pots will have different properties.

3. Does it get cold drafts from being near the window?

4. What precisely is your watering schedule? Once a week? Twice a week?

5. Are you using water that is too cold?

6. Do you really know if the potting media/medium is drying out before you water again?

7. How are the roots on your plant?

8. How big is your pot size in comparison to the root mass?

9. What are the temperatures really like in the room where you have your Onc Gower Ramsey? Feeling the temperature is not acceptable; your body fools you. It is necessary to get a temperature reading from a thermometer in order to know what the temperature really is.

I'm sure you know this already, Cheryl, but just for the sake of writing it in - Onc Gower Ramsey is an intermediate to warm growing Oncidium hybrid. It does well in warmer conditions. I remembered how warm and humid our greenhouses were; and let me tell you, it was uncomfortably warm and humid during noon up until late afternoon/early evening.

mattryan · #7 01-09-2013, 01:11 PM

Thanks for the help I have posted some pics of the orchid I am having difficulty with. I have absolutely no problems until this year ever since this new growth. It was re-potted in april of last year. It is a bark perlite mixture with styrofoam in the bottom. The pot is plastic with extra slits up the sides. I have 16 orchids on 2 stands near the sliding door. There are 9 of various intergenics under oncidiums. This is the only 1 I've had this issue with. At night there's a curtain between orchids and the window, during the day I only open the door to let dogs out. I use skewers so I water when 1/2 - 3/4 moist, never water when wet. Watering schedule varies as to the season. Never water with cold water usually warmer than lukewarm. The root mass was considerably larger, but having to keep cutting off new growth as it is putting out roots has not helped matters. Right now the temp in the room is 24 celcius with 50% humidity and it is overcast today (I always have a thermometer and humidity level tester where all my orchids grow). Yesterday when the sun was out the temp in the room was considerably higher. I hope to figure this out, this orchid has been in this place every year since I got it and now the last 3 growths have gone south. The pics are of the orchid after removing the rotted new pbulbs 1 on 1 side 2 on the other side. The last picture is of where it is normally. Thanks for the help.

Cheryl

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #8 01-09-2013, 01:44 PM

1. I would probably decrease the size of the pot by 1/2".

2. Raise the plant up in the pot so that none of the pseudobulbs are buried in the potting medium.

3. Keep the water away from the new growths until they mature a bit more.

4. Try watering the plant when the potting media is dry, then water again.

vjo · #9 01-09-2013, 01:56 PM

I too think it is planted too deep....Jean

mattryan · #10 01-09-2013, 03:55 PM

I will raise the plant up hoping a different eye will wake up. Originally I planted lower because the new growths were alot higher. I would have had to mount the plant as it is growing basically straight up and that is not feasible for me. The new growths are rotting when they are considerably big starting to fatten up. Not when they are small, that's why I don't know why this keeps happening. I definitely didn't water close to the new growth after losing the previous 2. Thanks again i'll keep you posted

cheryl