Questions about my new orchids

[wiacomm]

Hello all,
I just bought a dendrobium noid. The medium was broken down badly so I removed it all and then just sat the plant on top of some lava rock and bark, held up so its not resting on the medium. The leaves on the bottom, like 6 leaves had all turned yellow and leathery. Will that harm it or should I plant it in the medium?

I also bought a noid oncidium, it has yellow flowers on it. When I got it home I realize it is actually only 1 that is planted in dirt with perlite. And 2 others that were just sitting on top of the dirt! I know that this plant doesnt want to be in dirt right?
I took the 2 that were sitting on top and put one in my regular medium of lava rock adn bark. The other one I put in a jar half full of medium and planted the part that is a dead root looking thing (very large about 6 inches long with nothing on it) and the other part with the pbulbs is above the medium. Lots of roots hanging out and healthy looking even if the bulbs are shriveled looking.
The ones that were sitting on top of the soil are pretty shriveled up so I watered them a lot. The one in the dirt seems to be pretty healthy. I didnt remove that one from the dirt as i am afraid to damage it.
Has anyone seen this done with oncidium before? Being put in dirt? Should I remove it now and put in medium? The nursery I bought all my plants from is well established and I havent had issues before but the last 3 plants I have gotten there are all sick or have some sort of issues. NO more from there for sure.
I would like to save these two plants if at all possible. Please help if you can.
Best Regards
Cindy

pic 3 is the phal that I got from same place. The leave that had the yellow stripe is now all yellow and leathery. I had to cut the spike off as the buds all blasted.

[catttan]

The dendrobium should be resting on top of the medium but not buried in it. I have never seen oncidiums planted in soil. They should do quite well in the same medium you use for your dendrobium. That phal also needs repotting.That yellow stripe looks like sunburn.
I totally endorse your decision not to go back to the same nursery.

[EMos]

Hi Cindy,

I agree with Yew, and would highly recommend you re-pot all your orchids in a bark/charcoal mix (or a mix of your preference) to suit the individual plants. Phalaenopsis requires a coarse mix, Dendrobium medium, and Oncidium a finer mix.
The articles below found in the Article Library section of this site will help you through to this:
1. Choosing a potting medium
2. Re-potting my phalaenopsis
3. Repotting Oncidiums/ Oncidiums hybrids
You can also visit the Orchid care Section of this site to help you with the specific care of the orchids you grow.

Good Luck
Eric

[wiacomm]

Thank you guys so much for responding to me. I appreciate all help.
I didnt know that the dendrobium should be above the medium and not in it. Thanks for telling me that. I just replanted it last nite after work, into some lava rock and bark mix, and now have moved it on top of the mix so that roots can go down into it if they choose to.
I repotted the oncidiums in the same mix, smallest I could fit them into, and they already seem to look much happier now. I did leave the one plant in dirt. If it starts to look unhappy then I will replant it also.
The articles on the forum that were posted for me are great. Thanks so much again.

one more thing... I had bought a Sharry Baby onc. from same place the day before I discovered the onc noid in 'dirt' and found that there are ants all over it. In the leaves, and especially in the medium.!!!! I havent removed the plant from the pot, just sprayed the crap out of it with some safer soap. They seem to be gone this morning. I have never seen so many ants on one plant.!!! It seems healthy enough.
Sprayed last nite and then put in shower this morning and sprayed with water a good while. If they arent ants, they sure look like ants. Very small and very fast.

The large white phal has almost no roots. It had all new bark on top of pot but underneath it was all completely degraded and looked like great dark dirt for your summer garden.!! Never from this nursery ever again!!!!