I am struggling to make my Bigshot Hilo Sparkler happy and I can't seem to find what it wants. It's about three years old and when purchased was doing okay.
First I had it in 'too large' phal type bark (according to online advice) - but at least it was putting out roots - (but wasn't growing leaves) so then switched to small oncidium chips (proper mix according to online advice) with bits of sphagnum mixed in and put it under my grow light - got worse - switched back to coarser bark with moss and left it under the grow light; it's going to give up the ghost if I don't figure this out.
I've got two or three healthy roots, it's literally sitting on top of the bark all floppy, the leaves are light green, nothing 'plump' about it anywhere and it never was 'plump' and glossy when I bought it.
I mist the bark and roots from up top, I don't mist them, I do 10 minute nitrogen soaks, stop that and do quick baths and then heavy mist the medium every other day, every three days - nada - I can't find what it wants....
It
seems like it's telling me it does NOT want to be 'planted' in ANY type moss, bark or chips, I already tried the 'for oncidiums' mixes, am at wit's end on how to nurse it back. I know I need root growth else it's done for....
Are there any oncidium wizards out there? I live where there is so little sun it's disgusting, I thought the grow light would help it as it's done wonders for my cymbidium and spider orchid (spidey was totally dead in the water until I introduced major light source). Can I try wiring this orchid onto something more 'fibery' and just mist the bejezuz out of it? More light, less light, where's the happy point? No balanced fert? Fert it? I just can't seem to find anything that gives it a growth spike.
Oncidium Hilo Sparkler not growing - why?
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