Potting Media Question, and Watering

[zxyqu]

Hi Onc Alliance people. Wanted to post this question here, as it was most appropriate. I just passed a huge test at school, and I obviously splurged at the local nursery. They had two great Oncs, an Everlasting and a NoID, and they were on sale. They have plenty of blooms, the roots look good, and they seem to be potted in a medium/fine grade bark, as they both have tiny roots. This media seems to dry out really quickly, so I'm perplexed on how to properly water them. Should I just water them more often, more like 2 times a week, or should I throw on some spahg on top of the bark to hold some water until the next watering. I dont want to overwater, but at the same time I dont want to underwater them. Thanks for any Advice!

[Donald]

Check the wetness, or dryness, of the medium with a wooden skewer. I would lean towards watering them two times as this is what I find myself doing with the ones I have.

[zxyqu]

Ok Thanks Donald. Yeah I do check them with a skewer, and that's how I know they are drying out a little faster than my phals, which doesn't surprise me. I just wanted to see what is recommended. Any thoughts on the sphag on top, or would that stay too wet. Also, do you let them soak in water/fert for 30minutes or so, or dunk them and then that's it? Just wondering

[Tommyr]

I grow my Oncs. in mostly long fibered sphag moss with some perlite mixed in. I water when it's almost dry. They seem to like it.

[Blueszz]

I water mine when they are almost dry. The PB warn me when to water them, that is before they are all dry. I found out they like to be watered often (I dunk my pots until air bubbles stop coming) but also like to dry up fast. That is why I made extra holes in my pots, this way the medium dries out much more evenly.

I'm not familiar with the climate you live in but during the winter months I pour some water thru the pots instead of dunking them, otherwise they might stay too wet for me. I also use medium grade bark, also when the plants have very fine roots, everything to achive a fast water/dry up cycle.

Nicole

[nenella]

I too have found that Oncs need more water than phals. As said above they love water but need to dry out as well.

I have a mounted one which I water everyday at the moment (even twice a day- I dunk it and the thin roots immediately turn from white to green)

Others are now in S/H (they were in pots with bark before) All are doing very well and 2 have spiked in 1 month of being transfered.