Help my dancing lady oncidium is not well

[kdennis14]

My oncidium is dehydrated. I can tell as the pods are all wrinkled. I cannot get them to fill up.
I bought it on sale at a local store. I fell in love with the dancing ladies. Also the lower leaves are turning yellow one by one.......; How do I save her?
Please help.
Thank you all so much,
Karen

[78Terp]

Have you pulled it out of the pot and looked at the roots? It may need to be repotted. Get it out of sphag if it is in it.

Pictures would help.

[kdennis14]

I did repot it hoping that would help it. Not many roots but some, and they are ok. I can take a picture of it now for you. Flowers too?

[78Terp]

Yes, if it doesn't provide me with a clue, it may for someone else. I haven't had any losses of this type so I may not be the one to know the problem.

[kdennis14]

[78Terp]

It looks normal to me unless I am missing something. Those small outer leaves always drop off. As do the others eventually, leaving pbs without any leaves.

---------- Post Merged at 03:38 PM ----------

The pbs do look a bit dehydrated.

[kdennis14]

What can I do to hydrate them? I have looked everywhere on line for an answer. I am so worried.

[Katherine]

What can I do to hydrate them? I have looked everywhere on line for an answer. I am so worried.

Give them time, you received it in July? It takes time for them to recover, and also they have had to adjust to their new home. Just keep an eye on it.

[kdennis14]

Hey Harve,

I have about 20 Orchids now. I have a really hard time passing them by. We only have a Boxstore here, and they only have Phals., and occasional Oncidiums. If it were up to me I would have a whole lot more. I have a small screened in front porch. I moved them there 3 days ago. They really seem to love it already. The humidity is up there. In our house it is very cold and dry. I have some baby cats, and they have new roots already!!! Is this even possible?? I am happy. I will take a picture or 2 later. It is a west facing porch with NO direct sun.
I have OCD, so I do obsess. Let me know if you think my babies will be good where I put them.
Karen

---------- Post Merged at 12:56 PM ----------

Thank you Jeromy.
There is a woman with many orchid videos her name is soo neaty. She actually says if the bulbs dehydrate soak them for an hour and that will take care of it. I am so glad you told me the truth. My oncidium is in a clear plastic grow pot. I put it into that. It was in a ceramic little pot loaded with moss. I hate that. Jeromy, is there anything else I need to know about this orchid? Do you ever trim it? I want to do right by it. My OCD will not allow me to do otherwise. I appreciate your input. You and Harvey are the best. I just started with Orchids when my son gave me a Pink Phal for this past Mothers Day. I fell in love. Good thing I retired at the end of last year. I have plenty of time.
May I add you as a friend on this forum? Thank you
Karen

---------- Post Merged at 12:56 PM ----------

Thank you cucubirds.

---------- Post Merged at 12:58 PM ----------

Thank you katherine

[Jx3]

Yes karen add me, we're all friends here.
Once pseudobulbs shrivel beyond a certain point its unlikely they will plump up again regardless of soaking or not, sometimes they will comeback a bit but never to full form. As far as plastic vs clay ive just found that with my growing conditions I prefer clay for my oncidiums, yours may do well in plastic. Oncidiums never like to dry completely like catts, I use a very open mix consisting of med bark, perlite and charcoal and I water fairly often. My thin leaved oncidiums like sharry baby, twinkle and cheirophorum get watered more often then my thick leaved oncidiums like ampliatum. My best advice to all orchid growers is to use a mix that allows tons of air and dries quickly, ive noticed that frequent watering and drying pays off ten fold compared to a mix that needs watering once a week. Most oncidiums are known for dry or spoted leaf tips, ive eliminated this almost completly by keeping humidity high in my grow area. Ive noticed over the years when the humidity drops for an extended period of time my leaf tips start turning.

By the way your screened porch sounds like the perfect orchid home