Question
Hi Jim,

We are first-time orchid owners and bought a mature sharry baby with one stalk and and about 3 pseudobulbs. We've been keeping it indirectly lit, watered without excess, fertilized, etc.  Now, 6 weeks later, the bulbs and stalks continue to look healthy, but all the flowers have fallen off and shriveled up.  What do we do now?  Trim the stalk down?  Continue to water and light?  Fertilize?  Cry about our losses?

Please help and let us know how/if we can expect flowers again!

Many thanks,
Daniel in Oregon

Answer
Hi Daniel,

While oncidium flowers may last for several months, if it was already in bloom when you bought it, its time may have been just up.  You can remove the spent flower stalk (spike) because it will not produce any more blooms and will slowly turn brown and die.  To cut it off, go down to the bottom of the flower spike where it grew from the bulb and cut it off about an inch or two from the bottom.  

While it is actively growing (now through summer), keep it slightly moist (not constantly wet), feed it lightly with a balance type orchid fertilizer, keep it in temperatures between 50F to 85F, humidity above 40%, with some light air movement around it.  From mid fall through winter keep it on the slightly dry side but not totally dry and you can reduce or eliminate fertilizing.  Give it good light exposure all year round, morning sunlight for a few hours is fine with bright but indirect sunlight the rest of the day.  You didn't mention where you live but if it is in the northern parts of the U.S., you probably can give it an hour or two more morning sunlight.  

Unfortunately, oncidiums produce blooms once a year so be patient and take care of it.  Also, oncidiums prefer being slightly rootbound in the pot so wait until the bulbs are almost hanging over the pot rim before repotting it.  

Hope this helped.  If you have other questions or would like more information about the above, write and I'll try to help with them.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.