Onc. Heaven Scent 'Sweet Baby'

[Raver]

I just bought this orchid today for a really cheap price!!! Its not in bloom thought but hopefully it blooms again next year. it has some new growth and it seems healthy =). Do you guys know how to take care of this kind of orchid???

[cindiras]

Let's see.... oncidiums can take from 2000 to 5 or 6000 foot candles of light, with the plants with thicker, fleshy leaves taking the higher amount and plants with thinner leaves going with lesser light. Morning sun would probably be okay on this one for a few hours. Thin roots mean water more often, don't let it totally dry before the next watering. And because you water more often, the humidity doesn't need to be as high for many oncids- 30 to 50 % . If your oncidium has thicker roots (like a phal), then water less often and allow to dry a bit more.Temperatures, I wouldn't go below 50 degrees farenheidt at night and around 80 to 85 during the day.

[Raver]

thanks cind for all your help. I have noticed that you have answer alot of my threads =). I hope to always hear from you!!!

[cindiras]

Hey! I had to take you under my wing, you live so close to my sister, you are a virtual neighbor!

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Thanks Cindi!! Byron, be sure to check out the RVO Care pages too. Some good information to help with your oncidiums there too.

Cheers,
BD

[Raver]

Thanks BD and yep i've been checking the RVO care pages but i like to hear from people to because sometimes they do things different and it works for them and i like trying new things lol =)

[Laura81]

I've got one of these also. Mine is just about to bloom for the first time, so I'll post pics as soon as they open. I keep mine on a SW facing windowsill. It's planted in a very small pot in sphagnum moss, so it gets mostly dry after 2 days or so. I have been fertilizing with 1/4 tsp of bloom booster fertilizer per gallon about once a week. Roots have been coming out like crazy, and it's got a new pseudobulb developing.
Heaven Scent is a cross between Onc. Sharry Baby and Onc. Ruffles. It is supposed to have a chocolately smell, but maybe not quite as much as the Sharry Baby. It is also supposed to be somewhat more compact than Sharry Baby (a few inches shorter).

[morchid8]

Hi everyone!

I'm new to orchid care and have exactly the same orchid. I had a few questions and was wondering if anyone could help me out!

I repotted the orchid a month or so ago and, as expected (according to a few care-sites), a couple of leaves went yellow and dried up. Now, I am a little nervous however because I have noticed that the tip of another leaf has begun to turn yellow (picture below). I also inspected the plant a little more and noticed that another one of the leaves has also begun yellowing at the tip, so I was wondering if I am doing something wrong.

I keep the plant across from a window, but far enough so it never gets any direct sunlight. I also make sure that the blinds are closed to the point were light comes into the room but never direct, as an added measure. I water it once a week with a handful of filtered water (I might be a little too careful, but I read that tap water that might be high on chlorine might not be good for it either, and I'm sure that's how the water is over here). I live in Kansas so the weather has begun turning pretty dry and cold. The plant is indoors all the time, however, so I don't know how this would affect it...

Finally, the plant is in a pot filled with orchid mix (one of those that look like wood, recommended by the guy at the plant nursery) so I think that shouldn't be the problem....

Anyway, If anyone has any ideas or suggestions I'd more than appreciate it!

Thanks!

[Laura81]

Can you tell if the leaves are on one of the old growths? These leaves tend to die off eventually anyway, so it might not be a problem. I can't really tell from the picture though.

Did you happen to notice how the roots looked when you repotted? If a lot of them were brown and squishy, that could be a problem. Good roots should be firm and light colored. Root die off tends to happen when the oncidium isn't allowed to dry out some between waterings, but it doesn't sound like you are overwatering. Does that pot have drainage holes at the bottom?


Are you fertilizing?

[Kimberly]

I have vaulted ceilings and only one room that gets enough light, so I placed this one above the window level, atop the cupboard. No direct light, but nice and bright overall. So far, so good.Obviously not an option for everyone, but it works for me. It is as wild looking as yours, but I've never taken the shoots and am nervous to. I keep special water to water the orchids because of the heavy chemical and metal content in our city water. When to water has always been a battle for me, though.