Onc. recovery, need your advise please. (w/photos)

[soundtweakers]

This resilient little Onc was once a trash room rescue orchid that never bloomed. I tried to take the best care as I can as a novice 1 1/2 yr ago, but eventually NYC life took the best of me and I gave up on it.

Fast forward 18 months, I rediscovered this little plant by my south facing strong direct sunlit windowsill a few weeks ago when I was doing some much delayed tidy up. Little did I know it's still green and alive, in bad shape after a year and a half of neglect(no water!). Leaves curled, pseudo bulbs shriveled, roots turned black. Instead of throwing it out I decided to give it some water every other day and see if it revives. To my surprise two younger bulbs actually start to plump up and develop new roots. I'm currently planning on splitting this Onc. in two since the newest growth is pretty high up above the potting mix moving outside of the pot. I'm planning on using sphag/bark mix but not so sure about the ratio. Any advice on the splitting/potting mix would be greatly appreciated.

The two darker green bulbs are the new growth showing decent looking white roots(w/growing green tips).

[Gurj]

I've had the same, the new growths are pretty high up. I would skip on dividing it, I know it sounds crazy but dividing will lower the expectancy of flowering anytime sooner with that size OR for the sake of maturity of the orchid. I would either keep redirecting the roots into the media OR get a large enough pot and keep this orchid like it is in the pot and fill the rest with media, without disturbing it. This one is really tricky, and its worth the wait of what the other experts have to say maybe you get better advice and suggestions. I'm new to situations like this one and good luck!

[serama]

I would wait until the plant starts to grow new pseudobulbs next year to either divide or repot it. By that time it will have more mature pseudobulbs for each division, if you divide it now you'll end up with at least one division that has a maximum of 3 mature pseudobulbs, which will set it back for a year or two. I find Oncidium fexuosum and its hybrids outgrow their pots very quickly, so if you have the space and you're good at growing mounted plants, then I would consider mounting it on a branch (a cork plaque will do, but a 2-inch wide branch would be better). They naturally grow upwards because they grow on vertical tree trunks and they look stunning growing up a branch and enveloping it all around with pseudobulbs and aerial roots.

[TwoStems]

Congrats on reviving this!!! I don't have much advice on dividing, but wanted to say nice growing!

[soundtweakers]

thank you for the advice. I do have slightly bigger plastic clear orchid pots, and I"m thinking may be just transfer the whole thing without repotting it. My two concerns are the fact it was neglected for two years without water, there's got to be a whole lot of dead roots in the potting mix. And the new youngest growth are pretty high up and will be a while before it reaches the mix at it's current state.

if I repot it without dividing the plant, can I slightly bury some of the older leaveless pseudo bulbs so the newest roots can reach the potting mix?

[Teena]

It actually looks like you do have some roots that have made it into the medium. I think your idea of putting it into another, larger pot is a good idea. I would try to cut off the bottom of the current pot, without breaking the roots that are coming out of the bottom if they are alive. That way the new roots should grow into the medium of the new pot. I would also push the side of the old pot, opposite the new growth, flush against the side of the new pot, so you have more room in the new pot for medium and the new roots. In a few years you can separate and carefully cut away the old pot at the same time along with trimming dead roots.

martha

[soundtweakers]

The roots that stick out of the bottom of the pot are pretty much all dried up, I think I'm going to repot this orchid with it's current mix and and some added bark mix. Will post photos.

It actually looks like you do have some roots that have made it into the medium. I think your idea of putting it into another, larger pot is a good idea. I would try to cut off the bottom of the current pot, without breaking the roots that are coming out of the bottom if they are alive. That way the new roots should grow into the medium of the new pot. I would also push the side of the old pot, opposite the new growth, flush against the side of the new pot, so you have more room in the new pot for medium and the new roots. In a few years you can separate and carefully cut away the old pot at the same time along with trimming dead roots.

martha

[Gurj]

Good idea, let us know how it goes! Its a beautiful plant.