Leaf pleating again? - Orchid Board

3rdMaestro · #1 03-25-2021, 03:33 PM

Hey everyone!
Here's the story: I have 2 oncidium twinkle that I'm growing. I tried one once before when I was much newer and had a problem with leaf pleating, likely from not watering enough. Since then I have shifted things around in the house, adjusted growing conditions a bit, and got two new oncidium Twinkle plants mentioned above. They are both putting out new growths now and in order to make sure they don't pleat, I've really tried to stay on top of watering (I water every other day, and every other watering I fertilize with MSU fertilizer, and humidity is 50%) but STILL one of the new growths is showing a smidge of pleating. Do these oncidiums want even more water than what I'm giving them? Or is it possible that something else can cause leaf pleating beyond lack of water?

estación seca · #2 03-25-2021, 05:22 PM

Yes, they want more water than you're giving them. I must use soggy sphagnum or S/H to keep these alive. Bark doesn't work here.

3rdMaestro · #3 03-25-2021, 05:30 PM

Ok good to know. I mixed a little sphag into the fine bark mix. Perhaps i should mix some more?

estación seca · #4 03-25-2021, 05:46 PM

I would just water more often. Repotting is very stressful for small Oncs. During warm water I need to water tiny mericlones in sphagnum in 2"/5cm pots every day or they pleat. Maybe you could stand them in jar lids with 1/4" / .75cm standing water.

Orchidtinkerer · #5 03-25-2021, 08:12 PM

3rd maestro,I think I know what you are referring to and I think I know the solution but I am not entirely sure what you mean by pleating so I might be wrong.
I would not change your watering frequency, estacion always recommends to water every plant he sees more so I'd take that advice with a pinch of salt. Not every problem can always be fixed by watering more.
If it is what I think it is I have since found it has less to do with watering at all and it is very easy to overwater an orchid, it just takes watering a bit more than what they need.
I have found on maxillarias, oncidiums, dendrobiums and others if they don't get rained on the leaves can sometimes stick together as they are growing. If you spray your plants once a week this will not occur as the spray will loosen and lubricate the leaves briefly.

I still don't bother to spray my plants, i am just aware as they grow this can happen and the way to sort it out is to gently separate the leaves or give them a brief spray, they should separate within a few hours and will then be able to grow straight without being held back by another leaf.

I will add it does tend to happen more on weak newcomers than on well established plants or at least that's been the case at mine. I'd possibly consider humidity being the culprit but it has happened in high humidity settings too, I would not blame watering for this issue.

Roberta · #6 03-25-2021, 08:20 PM

Oncidiums and their relatives do need to be kept on the damp side. And ES is correct, especially in that group, the most common cause of "pleating" is insufficient water, especially just as the leaves are emerging. But sometimes a leaf just does get trapped as it is emerging, and may need a bit of coaxing, that may prevent wrinkling. If the medium is good (fresh sphagnum, or small bark) that drains well, it is pretty hard to overwater an Oncidium.

And OT, stick to the facts, please no personal "they always to such and such" comments. You can express an opinion/share an experience without the put-down.

WaterWitchin · #7 03-25-2021, 08:46 PM

I have a couple Beallara that no matter what I do, still have pleated leaves. Humidity in that part runs high enough... when you figure it out, let me know. I consider them in the Oncidium tribe regardless, and it really irritates me. Two other Beallara... just fine. Go figure. You haven't told them you really want them, right?

Orchidtinkerer · #8 03-26-2021, 07:35 AM

maybe I am not meant for Forums.
Or this Forum doesn't bode well for me.
I don't care, I am here to look after orchids and I feel like estacion doesn't even grow them by the amount of BS he has spewed out this year.

I've tried to be diplomatic about it but he comments on every single orchid and the last 10 care cases his advice has been to water more, even on cases with root rot where watering more is what causes the roblem in the first place.
I didn't point it out 10 times but now I have had enough of the bad advice and then I get told off.

The pleating has always resolved itself at mine and was never resolved by watering differently.

If someone gives wrong advice I can't point that out anymore now? I wish estacion would listen a bit more tbh, then I wouldn't have to point it out, but he just carries on giving bad advice and nobody bothers to correct him because it would be insensitive?

estación seca · #9 03-26-2021, 08:53 AM

If you click on a user's name you can see a list of posts by the user in reverse chronological order. In the ten most recent threads in which I have offered advice I have suggested watering more in only four.

Clawhammer · #10 03-26-2021, 09:35 AM

There are a handful of people on this forum whose advice I trust without question, and one of those people is Estacion Seca. ES is generous with advice, always kind, and has helped me immensely in my hobby. If you have a problem with ES, you are the problem.