Oncidium sotoanum and Masdevallia Fuchsia Dawn media
 

Hello everyone. So I was planning on repotting two plants.

Oncidium sotoanum, it has two growths starting and it's current media is rich in coco fiber, so it's very airy but does not retain moisture. The bulbs have shriveled.

Masdevallia Fuchsia Dawn, currently in white lava rock and in a basket. I water it every two days and it's not enough, I had two growths that dried out presumably because of that.

I was thinking on putting both on coconut mix (it has fiber and coir and bits, much more water retentive than fiber but not as compact as pure coconut peat). I'm hesitant with the oncidium because of root rot, though it is in a warm room with lots of filtered light, and I was thinking maybe mixing a little of the lava rock to the new medium with the Masdevallia.

What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance,

Stan.

I am surprised you say the coconut fiber doesn't retain water. It's considered very water-retentive. If you soak the pot, how many days until a wood stick inserted deeply into the medium for 10 minutes comes out dry?

Many, many people grow Masdevallias in sphagnum moss. They should never dry completely. Coco fiber mixed with perlite or pumice might work for you. Also, they are high humidity plants, suffering in low humidity.

ES - coconut husk chip do hold a lot of water, but the coarse fiber, often called “gorilla hair” certainly does not.

I think maybe I didn't use the correct terms. The oncidium's current media is rich in the hairlike thing, and the media starts drying out for the top half very quickly, like by day two it is totally dry, but the lower part still remains somewhat moist for another two days. I currently have a Sharry baby which I water less than weekly, but the media holds in moisture super well. I believe it is a mix of something super water retentive (like the coconut husk chips) with coarse lava rock, and it's been doing super well for me.

I'll go ahead and repot that Masdevallia today if I have the time.

Thank you for your help.

Stan

you are growing indoors or outside?

what is the area they are kept in like?

I'm growing indoors. The humidity in my city ranges from about 25% to about 70%, but mostly it is in the ok range. The Masdevallia has indirect light, not too bright. The Oncidium has filtered light from about 11am up to about 5pm, in a warm room. Idk temperatures exactly, but it does feel hotter in that room and, so far, my plants that are sitting there are doing good. My Cattleyas are growing roots and bulbs real nice :)