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Oncidiums haven't spiked yet for spring........:(

16 years ago

did I do something wrong this past summer? I had them in bright sun plenty of refreshing water. Maybe too much sun? About 4 to 6 hours a day. Then this fall I had them go down to very cool 40's. Maybe I am confused about how to make them spike? Please will you help with next years agenda....I sure wanted my Howard's Dream to show it's stuff...

Evelyn

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Comments (7)

HollyT
16 years ago
Are they getting bright light now? Several of mine are spiking as of past few weeks, under a 125 watt CFL and some daytime sun.
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ebbykay
Original Author
16 years ago
Just what I can give them from the south end of the porch through the 4 mil. plastic sheeting of the heated area. Guess I should add more lighting.....I can do that....is it too late?
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To answer quinnfyre's last question, it's been a few years at least and this is not the only one that people haven't corrected, simply the most common one. As for wrinkly pseudobulbs, a good watering regime and high relative humidity will help, but remember that the prime purpose of a pseudobulb is to be a storage tank. The plant uses it if and when it needs it. It's also a question of genetics. Some plants simply have nice round PBs, some don't. Julie P.S. Arthur's comment about simplifying watering in general are well placed, especially as your collections grow. I now have a Darwinian approach to my orchids and houseplants - only the tough that thrive with my growing conditions and habits will stay in my collections and be joined by other similar-minded plants. The rest hit the road (aka members' sales tables at the show or the raffle table) or the garbage bin. You really have to wow me to get special care and there's only one "special care" tray... It was tough at first, but I'm much happier with my collection now and everything is growing and blooming nicely.
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thanks all. i'll decide this weekend. the plant just grew a huge new beautiful leaf, so, it's clearly doing well. i'm not so sure it is going to rebloom from the same stem if I leave it completely alone and don't cut it at all. So, my choice is really to cut it to a node or cut the whole thing down to the crown. Hmmm.... arthurm: i've see your pic before and read many posts about whether or not to cut the spike. I posted my thread because I still couldn't decide what to do.
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At least it's not in the "god" category and "other" instead :D You made my afternoon. I just had to pick up the orchid that would be a challenge :) and agree, there probably isn't much right or appropriate for its culture here. The "general info" I've been able to get about it so far is it needs a bit of water and a high level of filtered sunlight during active growth - well, it's had a lot of rain (to the point I was bringing it in to dry often) but the sun wasn't very cooperative this year. Give it a 30 degree temp swing, down to 40 in fall. No water from mid october until spring growth? All year it needs warm days, cool nights. House in the winter is generally around 70 day/night. It does get quite cold here for several months so in a window would be the only temp difference I could give it. Does any of this sound right or possibly hopeful? I should hopefully be able to eventually make the other orchids happy and bloom but the Cymbidium and the Encyclia will probably be given away free next spring (hopefully they live) to someone who would be better able to grow them. I would like to give them a shot this winter, hopefully they will make it. If not, I'll know what not to buy in the future. Thanks!
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Very beautiful flowers CJ! I have (had) one almost exact like that. Re bloomed for me one time last year. I split the plant to give one to my friend as a favor. The other half is barely surviving right now but produced some young shoot. I am nurturing them like a baby because I love the flowers. I don't think it liked the heat I had in my sun room that much either. I am very watchful this year. If the heat in the sun room goes up to 27 degrees. I move them into my living room instead... Don't want any more damage. The flowers are very striking! I want to ask you all a question about put them outside. I heard some of you said you leave the orchids outside in summer and bring them in when the weather starts to get cold or cool down. What about rain? We all know and talked about don't let water gets in the crown of the orchids otherwise it will rot the leaves. How can they survive with rain pour on them? Or you do shelter them under some kind of protection? Please let me know. Tanie
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tommyr_gw Zone 6
16 years ago
My Carnival costumes have been blooming for 2 months now. More light may be your problem. Mine get bright filtered sun.
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arthurm
16 years ago
Hi Evelyn,
What sort of "Oncidium" is Howard's Dream? I suspect it is an Intergeneric of some kind that may have a different flowering pattern to a straight Oncidium Hybrid.
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jane__ny
16 years ago
My 'Howard' is not spiking yet. It is still growing. I think this plant blooms in late spring. Was given a monster last fall and it appeared to have bloomed recently.

Jane
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michigoose
16 years ago
Some of my oncids are blooming now, one is in spike but it won't bloom for about another 3 weeks or so. Several haven't set spike, but I don't expect to see them until later....like maybe starting in late Feb./March...it really depends on the plant. Really, (and gosh...I'm beginning to sound like Uncle Howard), the trick to them is to make sure they get enough sun (and water...if you toast them without watering them enough it is a recipe for disaster.).
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ebbykay
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you all for your replies! So maybe I might still get some spikes? That would be wonderful! Today I will be getting more light for them.

Thanks again:)
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