How To Grow Orchids Oncidium?

Oncidium orchids, also known as Dancing Lady Orchids, are a popular choice for indoor gardeners due to their unique and attractive blooms. They typically grow between 30 cm to 3 m in height and 20 to 60 cm in. To care for oncidium orchids, place them in an east, west, or south-facing window lined with a sheer curtain to provide appropriate amount of light. They prefer warm, bright indoors and prefer excellent drainage, using large pieces of pine bark or tree fern chunks as the potting medium.

In greenhouses, plant in anything from 100 sphagnum to 50 sphagnum and 50 fine-grade orchid bark mix. Planting in 100 treefern fiber (or mixed with) is preferred. Generally, it’s best to keep your orchid in a semi-shady to semi-sunny environment, with east or west windows being ideal at home. At home, east or west windows are ideal, but south windows can work as well.

Oncidiums appreciate intermediate to warm temperatures (up to 90 F/32 C in the summer with lows between 58 to 62 F/14.4 – 17 C). Plants should be watered thoroughly with lukewarm to room temperature water every two to ten days, when the planting media is half dry.

Growing orchids is simple as long as you live in zones 10-12. In warm climates, all an orchid needs is to be tied to a tree and left on its own.

When to repot Oncidium orchids?

Oncidiums are delicate houseplants that produce small, dainty flowers that resemble butterflies or dancing ladies. They typically flower in autumn, but modern hybrids can bloom all year round. They prefer warm, bright indoors and thrive in warm, bright conditions. When repotting, allow room for the plant to increase its diameter and root into the compost. Keep them at 13-25°C (55-77°F) in bright light, but not summer sun.

What is the best potting mix for Oncidium orchids?

To ensure optimal growth of oncidiums, it is crucial to provide excellent drainage using pine bark or tree fern chunks as the potting medium and hanging baskets or pots. The root tips should be watered and fertilized frequently, ensuring the mix becomes dry before watering again. If the tips have sealed over, watering should be reduced to once a week or less. Mounted oncidiums should be watered in summer due to their quick drying in hot, windy weather.

Regularly check the roots for pests, such as snails and caterpillars, as they can damage the active tips and delay the growth of new tips. Dust or spray the oncidiums as soon as these pests are seen in your collection.

It is also important to avoid allowing oncidium seedlings to flower before they have matured, as the juvenile plant puts all its energy into flowering rather than growth. It may take another two or three years before flowering again or the plant dies.

Why is my Oncidium not flowering?

Orchids require light to grow, and if they have not bloomed in a year or two, it is likely due to a lack of sufficient light. To address this issue, high light orchids can be placed in a vanda basket hanging from a tree branch, which provides higher humidity and sufficient watering, allowing them to have a vigorous growth season. This treatment has been successful in reblooming Dendrobiums that have languished without blooming on a windowsill for ages.

Orchid roots can also be in trouble due to overwatering or lack of repotting. Orchid roots need oxygen to survive, and the media used for potting orchids is not unlike traditional houseplants. Even the best orchid mix breaks down over time, requiring replacement. Fear of repotting can lead to long-term leaves, preventing the orchid from having enough stored strength to bloom.

How often should I water my Oncidium?

In order to ascertain when an orchid requires water, it is recommended that the media be observed for indications of moisture levels. When the media is almost dry but slightly moist, it is an indication that additional watering is necessary.

What time of year do Oncidium orchids bloom?

Oncidium orchids thrive in bright, diffused light, with ideal temperatures being 60°-64° during the fall and spring months. They prefer clean water without a lot of mineral content, so they should be grown in areas where night temperatures fall below 65°. Watering should occur every 5-7 days, checking for moisture by sticking a wooden pencil into the mix.

Humidity levels should be maintained at 40 or above. The flowering season can be any time of year, but is generally heaviest in the fall and spring. To initiate flower spikes, grow the plant in an area where night temperatures fall below 65°. Oncidiums are one of the most favored orchids of the aphid bug, and it is important to keep a close eye on the spike when it begins to produce flower buds for aphids.

For tap or well water, fertilize with Grow More Urea Free 20-10-20 at a rate of 1/2 tsp. per gallon. For other watering, feed every other watering during the summer and every third watering in winter. Green Jungle Orchid Food is also highly recommended for this purpose.

Potting involves repotting every 1 to 2 years as the mix breaks down or the plant outgrows the pot. Carefully pull out plants potted in a bark mixture, clean off the roots, and leave white or tan roots firm to the touch. Place the oldest growth towards the back of the pot, leaving room for newer growths to develop for about 1-2 years. Oncidiums can be divided when there are 6 or more pseudobulbs, leaving 3 growths per each division. Generally, Oncidiums are planted in either an orchid bark mix or New Zealand sphagnum moss mixed with tree fern fiber.

How long to soak Oncidium?

Some sources suggest flushing pots through when watering, but this is not recommended. Oncidium Twinkle, for example, thrives when left to soak in water and fertiliser mixture for 15 minutes once a week. This prevents wrinkles and makes the orchid look more attractive. However, it is important to ensure the pot is completely dried before soaking again. If the orchid shows signs of wrinkling bulbs, try soaking it to see if it makes a difference. Oncidium orchids are not heavy feeders, as their structures are smaller than Phalaenopsis and do not require as many nutrients.

However, they should be watered once every two weeks with growth or bloom fertiliser. Oncidiums prefer media that retains water for periods of time without saturating the roots. Bark chips are a good choice for Oncidiums, as they allow drainage and hold enough moisture for 5-6 days. A combination of bark chips and sphagnum moss can help retain more moisture.

Do Oncidiums like to dry out?

The majority of oncidiums flourish when allowed to dry out between waterings. However, fan-leaved equitants are more susceptible to adverse effects when subjected to prolonged periods of moisture. This does not indicate that they should be deprived of water, but rather that they require a period of drying. The selection of potting material can facilitate the provision of frequent irrigation, should this be a preferred option. This quality renders these orchids eminently suitable for those with demanding schedules, as they are unable to tolerate prolonged periods of saturation.

What is the best medium for Oncidium?

The author suggests using a bark mix for oncidiums, which are thirsty plants that require good drainage. They suggest using small bark and sometimes adding a string of synthic or chopped spag to keep the roots cool. The location of the plant greatly impacts the potting method. Bark works well for people with ample time and watering ability, while more water-retentive media are preferred. The author advises orchid neophytes to grow oncidiums in bark unless they have time to water daily.

The medium used works well for many people, but if the plant is grown in a high-humidity environment, a faster-drying pot/medium combination can be used, while a more moisture-retentive medium is recommended.

Do Oncidium orchids like sun or shade?

Oncidium plants thrive with 1-5 hours of sunlight a day, with thicker-leaved plants like “mule-ear” and “equitant” needing more light. They thrive in greenhouses with shade to part-sun or in windows with 1-5 hours of sun. Artificial light can be used, with lightbulbs or LEDs emitting 10, 000 lumens. Temperature tolerance for Oncidium plants is intermediate to warm, with temperatures up to 95F-100F (35C-38C) tolerated if the plant cools down to 70F-80F (21C-27C) at night and water is increased.

Requirements vary by plant type, with large fleshy roots or leaves needing less watering than thin-leaved or thin-rooted plants. Watering should be thorough and the medium should dry at least halfway through the pot before watering again. The lowest amount of lumens for growth is about 2, 000 lumens, but flowering may be poor.