Oncidium Twinkle 'Red Fantasy'

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Light:
This plant prefers low medium light, from 700-2000 foot-candles. In homes, an east window is ideal. In south or west windows it must be protected from the blazing sun and kept from being too hot. If grown outside in the summer, make sure it is in a brightly diffused shady area. This plant will also do well under fluorescent lights and under High Pressure sodium fixtures.

P.L. Lights systems are a great way to provide artificial light to your orchids. See our P.L. Lights page for more information on this great product we offer.

Temperature:
This plant prefers intermediate temperatures with winter nighttime temps from 58º to 64º and daytime temps of 69 -75º. Summer temps can be a few degrees warmer.

Humidity:
This plant likes a relative humidity of 50 percent or higher. The use of humidity trays or room humidifiers is beneficial.

We offer two products that can help increase humidity levels. The humidity tray offered in black or white, and the Mist Maker.

Water:
It is best to use rainwater, distilled or reverse osmosis water. Water as the plant approaches dryness but do not allow the plant to dry out totally. The pseudobulbs can be your guide. If the pseudobulbs shrivel and develop furrows and ridges, you need to increase the watering frequency. Pseudobulbs like to be kept plump. When flower spikes emerge, be sure not to let it dry out, as this will cause the spikes to abort.

Overwatering can cause several problems such as root rot and infectious bacteria/fungus in the potting medium. One product we offer that can help these problems if caught at an early stage is Phyton 27 bactericide and fungicide.

Fertilizer:
Use Green Jungle Orchid Food, especially formulated to work with rain, distilled, reverse osmosis water or water low in alkalinity. Fertilize with Green Jungle every time you water if plants are planted in bark. Be sure to flush the mix with clear water only once per month to prevent fertilizer salt build up. For plants in moss or mounted on slabs feed every third or 4th watering as the moss holds a lot of nutrients Or use GrowMore 20-10-20 Ureafree for municipal or well water. Use at the rate of ½ teaspoon per gallon. If using GrowMore with rain, distilled, or reverse osmosis water, add back in 5 - 10% municipal or well water to supply the necessary calcium and magnesium. Fertilize every other watering in the summer and every third watering in the winter.


Another fertilizer offered is: GrowMore 6-30-30 (Cymbidium and bloom boosting formula).

Flowering:
This plant can flower a couple of times per year, generally in the fall, winter or spring after new growths have matured. The flower spikes emerge between the pseudobulb and the leaf closest to the pseudobulb. Sometimes more than one spike will emerge from each pseudobulb, and can even emerge from the center of the pseudobulb. The multiple, branched spikes produce many flowers colored in red and pink. They are wonderfully fragrant, smelling of vanilla and just a bit of spice.

Repotting:
Repot this plant in the spring after flowering. Use a small bark mix that has some moisture retention, such as coconut husk or poultry grade peat, as roots are near the surface need more constant moisture. Repotting should be done every year in spring after flowering for best results.

We offer several different types of potting medium. Here are direct links to what we believe to be some of the best potting mediums available for orchids: Orchids Limited bark mix, New Zealand sphagnum moss, coco husk, coco peat, sponge rock,charcoal, tree fern fiber, and cork slabs for epiphytic plants.