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oncidium leaves yellow

Discussion in 'Issues, Disease and Pests' started by gjanick, Apr 29, 2023.

  1. gjanick

    gjanick Active Member

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    I don't know why my once beautiful darker green leaves on this unregistered oncidium (Oncidium Harunda) are becoming a very light green and yellow colors. I am aware that older oncidium bulbs will lose their leaves after a while. I have had this plant since August of last year and it has never bloomed for me and has never even produced spikes. Should I be worried?
     

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    Last edited: Apr 29, 2023
  2. Ray

    Ray Orchid Iconoclast Supporting Member

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    It's almost impossible to diagnose from a photo, especially when no description of the current cultural conditions or specifics of the feeding and watering regimen are given, but I'll throw out some possibilities: excessive sunlight, insufficient nitrogen, insufficient magnesium.
     
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  3. gjanick

    gjanick Active Member

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    Thanks Ray. I water once every morning. I use both spray fertilizer once every 2 weeks and apply a solid powder fertilizer 16-16-16 once a month. Your 3 possibilities listed may be correct--all three may be the cause.
     
  4. sam1147

    sam1147 sam1147

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    Due to the a.m. possibilities
    I think you should check the roots.
     
  5. gjanick

    gjanick Active Member

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    Sorry Sam, I don't know the meaning of "a.m. possibilities". Can you explain? Thanks.
     
  6. sam1147

    sam1147 sam1147

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    "above mention".
     
  7. Ray

    Ray Orchid Iconoclast Supporting Member

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    it would really help if you told us the details:

    • what is the formula of the spray fertilizer and to what dilution rate do you mix it?
    • Do you apply the “solid” undiluted???
     
  8. gjanick

    gjanick Active Member

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    I sprinkle a litle of the solid 16-16-16 fertilizer on the top of the medium and then I water it. The liquid I mix 3 to 5 teaspoons per liter of water. It becomes a light pink shade. The label on the bottle is completely in Thai. It is the middle bottle in the picture.[​IMG]
     
  9. Ray

    Ray Orchid Iconoclast Supporting Member

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    We’re not communicating well, and you are likely overfeeding by a huge amount! What is the formula of the pink stuff? Or is that the 16% ?

    No powdered fertilizer should be applied dry, then watered in. Think about it: you’re applying a 16% N fertilizer (160,000 ppm N) at close to full strength and the velamen grabs and holds onto that first solution. Your subsequent watering does not adequately strip it down to a more appropriate concentration, as the velamen is designed to hold onto nutrient ions and prevent that.

    if you feed every two weeks, shoot for more like 250 ppm N, already in solution. Divide 20 by the %N to get the teaspoons/gallon to mix, or divide 23 by the %N for ml per liter.

    For a 16% fertilizer, that would be 20/16=1.25 teaspoons gallon or 23/16=1.4375 ml/L, which would be a bit under 1/3 teaspoon/L.
     
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  10. gjanick

    gjanick Active Member

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    Thank You for taking the time. I don't know the formula of the pink liquid. My next door neighbor told me that the label says 3 teaspoons per 1 liter water.
     
  11. Ray

    Ray Orchid Iconoclast Supporting Member

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    I tried to find it online, and it turns out to be a chitosan/seaweed extract, not a fertilizer, per se, so probably OK at that rate.
     
  12. Roberta

    Roberta Active Member

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    As far as reading the labels in Thai... Google Translate on your phone can help a lot. (I use it for translating cooking instructions on some of the products that I get from my Japanese grocery, that don't have translated directions, it can from from images.)
     
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  13. gjanick

    gjanick Active Member

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    I didn't know this. I will try.
     
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