Repotting the Oncidiums! Replacing Sphagnum with Inorganic Media!

[@MelissaWalker82]

I loved this video! I’m addicted to oncidium repot vids. :)

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Yay! 😂 Not a bad addiction to have 😉

[@raquelswavycurls]

My Bartley Schwarz has much smaller and thinner pseudobulbs that yours - I think you may have the name wrong. But seeing as it was a no ID, I'm not surprised. It's so interesting the different media that people use! Hoping the combination you have works well for you.

[@TheOrchidRoom]

It was named on the nursery website as the highland white variety and the flowers do match the nursery ID. However. It looks totally different to my actual Bartley Schwartz. I think the INCA orchids Bartley Schwartz highland white that they are selling at the moment is actually a hybrid not a colour variety.... as you say, with INCA orchids current lack of clarity there is no way to know. Their website also doesn't contain all the new recent hybrids... I've matched it up as far as I am able and although INCA are better than most, they are not supplying a comprehensive list so I wouldn't rely on them. I just have to disclaimer each time that INCA are not the best so can't be certain 😂

[@BlaisZeroni]

How are these onchidiums taking to the inorganic? I’m thinking of switching over

[@normantorok5919]

Hi Annebel, I've watched this video a bunch of times, and used it to attempt to repot my Dgmra. Shibumi 'Purple Rain'...using semi hydro with leca and synthic with a top layer of pebbles. roots look good, hydrated and moist, but the psudo bulbs are shriveling up and some of the older foliage is begining to die off from the leaf tips...am i looking at repotting shock or does it sound like i have another issue? Any thoughts would be so helpful. Appreciate all that you do.

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Hi Norman! Often old roots will die off following a repot- Oncidiums can be a real pain for this. They have such delicate roots. The way I used to get round it was not removing all the media from the original potting mix, leaving the middle alone so that I didn't damage any of the roots. This gave me huge issues with snails though. That's the only way round it, but them you have a pot full of snails munching roots. So now I just go in there and get everything off, clean the whole root system super well and repot. It shocks the plant a bit, some roots die, some bulbs will shrivel, but as long as a few roots survive and you do it when the plant is actively growing, hopefully it can make new bulbs and roots soon. This is the same issue as for organic media, just needs to get some new roots down before it can adapt fully 🙂 Does it have a new growth starting? Sometimes even if the old roots haven't died, they arent as able to take up water in the new mix following the shock, so new roots adapted to the new media are needed to support all the existing bulbs to plump.

[@normantorok5919]

​@@TheOrchidRoom Annabel you are a lifesaver. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my elaborate questions. The scenario you describe is what I think is indeed happening, thx for the confirmation. There is a strong new growth that is doing fine and I suspect new roots on the way. I've learned so much from your videos, and I've had great success your tips on semi hydro with all my others that this one troublemaker really through me off. :) Again, thanks very much for taking the time. cheers!

[@TheOrchidRoom]

No problem Norman 🙂 Thanks for watching my videos! I hope your purple rain adapts soon!

[@louisvilleky8967]

Will you explain again why the leaves are yellow? Is there to much nutrients or not enough? Thank you.

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Nutrients are supplied at the correct amount. Absorption is limited by pH- if pH is too acidic or too alkaline roots cannot absorb nutrients correctly. Here's a link to my video discussion on pH and nutrient availability 😄 kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6mciK2Io7KNo8k If left in sphagnum too long sphagnum acidifies as it breaks down. This was acidifying (low pH) more than I could control by pH adjusting the nutrient solution so I suspect reduced absorption of two key elements in chlorophyll synthesis- magnesium and nitrogen. This would result in yellowing leaves. Other two options are lack of nutrients ( not an option, I'm feeding correctly) or lack of roots (not an option, loads of roots). Or something wrong with the orchid itself that affects metabolism- but given that they otherwise appear very healthy and I know the media was very acidic and had been left too long, this narrows down the cause.

[@jackiehill6557]

Hi Annabelle, enjoyed watching this video. What is the life span of the Synthic fibre which you use and how do you go about fertilizing the plants using this method?

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Hi, it's inorganic so in theory many years. They don't give a life span but I can't see it breaking down any time soon. How long does any fabric take to break down? Years likely. Fertiliser exactly the same as any other media in my self watering or semi hydro setups 😄

[@bonniesuekimball7550]

Hello! Do you have to place these on heat mats? I lost many plants in self watering with leca because they stayed so cold in my house...

[@TheOrchidRoom]

LECA and clay media aren't really suited to keeping warm growers in cold environments as they will keep the root zone cooler than ambient temp (great for cool growers though). As we are going into winter these guys will need to be on a heat mat, in summer they wouldnt necessarily have. The water bath will also raise relative humidity which will help the little ones adjust 😄

[@usharamsundar7773]

Annabel what is synthic. Where can I get it

[@marygorchidsmore2058]

Nicely repotted! Looking forward to see their progress and your updates on them. So in this self watering system, do you keep the reservoir in the white pot always full? How often do you check for the watrr or you just water them once a week?

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Reservoir always full, in winter this lasts 2 weeks so I water then. I don't check the reservoirs as would be too time consuming, after a while you get to know how long they last- in summer this is barely a week but just checking the thirstiest orchids will give you a safe rate estimate for the rest 😄

[@orchidsbythelake]

This oncidium you are deciding are two plants... what happens a lot is when they were a seedling, most likely too small to be potted as one plant when they were processed (potted) along with other seedlings. This happens a lot at the orchid nursery I work at. From our point of view, this is not an accident. Rather, we pot them together and sell to whoever as “gift” to give the customers a bit more value and assure them to be happy...

[@orchidsbythelake]

“Deciding”... 🤦🏻‍♂️”dividing”

[@ono7077]

Wao Inorganic ? My faves media for my weather at out door . Let me view . Be back in edited post if I hv any point Stay fine Annabel Regards Hamim