oncidium

[hitenryu]

I just bought an oncidium (don't no what kind) for 2-3 now and something wire is happening. All of the flower suddenly turned brown. I water it once per week and i just fertelized it on monday. Please help, tell me what i did wrong.

 

[Merlin]

Hi Hitenryu -

If the problem is just the flower spike, then you probably shocked the plant.  Rapid changes in temperature or light could do it (or extreme temperatures).  For instance, if the plant was in the breeze from an open window on a cool day, the flowers could blast.  Or, if it was suddenly moved to a bright, hot location.  Or, if it wasn’t sufficiently insulated when you brought it home.  Or, if it was left in an area where the temperatures got into the high 90s.  You get the idea.

Another possibility is that the plant was kept too near ripening fruit.  Fruits give off tiny amounts of ethylene gas as they ripen.  The gas is toxic to orchid flowers and buds.

As far as general maintenance, check out my reply in the ‘my first orchid’ thread.

Good luck!