Is this orchid potting mixture a problem?

**Danny** · March 8th, 2012, 08:34 PM

I have a Odcn. Tiger crow in bud right now, and saw the sphag mixed in with the potting media was sopping wet and some roots were rotting, I took it out of the pot in a panic, removed the sphag, and added a bit more fresh bark to fill the gap. I didn't remove any roots or disturb the root ball save for pulling out the rotting sphag, do you think it might abort the spike because of it? I was sort of in a panic because last time I had sphag rot it killed the roots very quickly. I think the problem was I had sphag in the mix when the humidity on the windowsill I was growing it on was low, I added a humidifier for a nepenthes next to the plant, and I guess with the extra humidity water didn't evaporate as fast. so, do you folks think there would be any negative side effects of me causing that slight movement?

**catasetum-ian** · March 8th, 2012, 08:46 PM

Danny, that really depends on how extensive is the root rot. if it is only superficial and the remaining roots are uninfected, removing the sphag and the infected foots, sprinkle with some cinnamon powder/dust with antifungal and do the bark replacement (but i prefer leave it empty for 2-3 days for the infected area to dry up before covering it). however oncidium are quite hardy as i know, as long as the infection is superficial, it should not affect the spike development.
you took any pic during the process? perhaps with some pics other forum member can help you better and also what media is the plant potted with?
best of luck and hopefully to see your post with the bloom soon

**Danny** · March 8th, 2012, 08:55 PM

after looking a bit closer once I had the moss removed, it wasn't alot and what was there was on one of the older pseudobulbs, I cut them and put a dab of cinnamon, and put more bark in. Right now, its in a 4:5 ration coconut/fir bark and long fibered sphagnum moss, just enough to keep it slightly damp. the buds are really nice looking and if all goes well, hopefully I will be showing the orchid off really soon.

**catasetum-ian** · March 8th, 2012, 10:30 PM

well, seems like you are on the right track, removing the old infected pseudobulb and dusting with cinnamon powder. hopefully everything goes well for your oncidium.
by the way, i always think coconut husk and sphagnum moss dun make good combination coz both of them are water retaining, might be too moist for the medium. anyway i am not a big fan of oncidium, perhaps other forum members can chime in.

**Danny** · March 9th, 2012, 06:13 AM

Well, this technicaly is an Odontocidium, it grows like an oncidium but has the big flowers and temperature tolerances f an odontoglossum. anywho, I got the sphag out and so now its in a pretty much coconut and fir bark chunk medium. It doesn't look any worse for the wear, so hopefully nothing stressed it too bad when I removed the sphag. I never have liked messing with potting, give me a Vanda or schomburgkia that can just be set in an empty pot or tied to driftwood and I don't have to wory about. I've tried mounting oncidiums but they always seem to hate me for it.