Cymbidium Rules?

[Mark V]

After searching through many dozens of Cymbid. posts and refferenced web sites I think I am getting a handle on what to do with them. Please correct me if I got it wrong.

Sun: The vast majority off them like lots of it. 20 -25% shade on a hot summer day is just about perfect. They will sunburn in direct summer, mid-day sun.

Temperature: Most survive in a wide range from 33F. to tropical heat if well watered. Most will bloom better (some require for blooming) night time lows in the 50F to 35F range in the last quarter of their growing year. The year starts when the last bloom falls and you trim off the denuded spike.


Water & Fertilizer: Never let a mature plant's medium dry out completly. Ues half strength ballanced fertilizer (20-20-20 & etc.) every two weeks through the first 3/4 of the year and go to bloom enhancing fertilizer (10-20-10 & etc.) for the last quarter of the year. The year starts when the last bloom falls and you trim off the denuded spike. Flush the pot every month to avoid salt build up.

Repotting;
Why: 1) Because the plant is climbing out of the pot. 2) because the medium is mush, 3) because you want to divide it and there will be at least 3 leaved Pbulbs for each division.
medium:Varied from medium to fine grade bark or orchid mix to light, good draining, air circulating potting soils. If you live in a mild climate you can plant them in garden beds.
When: Just after the last bloom falls if it needs repotting.

I have included three pics of cymbid plants. The first went from an 8" round pot to an 8" square pot. The root ball would just fit in with out scrunching. It was repotted because the medium was very broken down. The second went from an 8" round pot to a 9" square because it was very root bound, almost no medium was in the old pot. The third pic shows a plant that is vey near the end of its blooming. I won't repot because the medium is still quite crisp and there seems to be room enough for new growth. I included the pic ...cause the plant is pretty.

What did I miss? How wrong am I?

[Mark V]

for some reason the pics didn't show.

[Mark V]

What is above I wrote on my own. It's digested info from a lot of different sources (not least of which is orchidworks.com) most of them are ones Murry the "orchid-man" directed me to. I don't remember seeing the web site you mentioned, but I'll look it up. The only information that is my own original data is how to sun burn leaves. Yes, I know how to make cymbid leaves as crispy as corn flakes. As for the rest of the post's "information" I wouldn't be a bit surprised if growers much more experienced than I corrected some of it.

[Diane]

That is quite a nice summary. I would say there is nothing wrong with your post, although some people will vary from parts of it with great success. My cyms are in dappled sunlight, probably in the 50 -60% shade category. They love it. A lot depends on where you live, the climate...(after all, its pretty hot in So Cal in summer) and also on which type of cyms you have. Like catts, the leaves should have an olive greenish tinge - not a deep green.

As for your pictures, your plants look really happy, and have PLEANTY of room compared to mine, which will all require repotting this spring after blooming. NOTE - none of mine even have the beginnings of spikes yet, as we have not had nights below 55 yet, and are still getting nights in the 60's. Mine usually start to show a spike in late December, early January. I also religiously add bloom fertilizer to the regimine starting in October. (based on my plants blooming cycle)

[orchid-man]

Mark ,
That deduction is very good and it is exactly what we tell people here in NZ.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Very nice post Mark! You really pulled the information together well.

Cheers!
BD

[uncasteeb]

Very nice summary.
Mine get basically full sun but i do live in the UK so the sun is nowhere near as strong as in California.
1 off mine has actually split it's sheath & i can see the flower spike developing , pretty early in the season.The others have mostly got small spikes just starting.My Cymbidium eburneum has a spike again but this will take about 5 months before it blooms.

[bench72]

Excellent summation Mark. I've certainly learnt a lot from it! Thanks.

[dannylowau]

You got pretty healthy and robust
cyms. The plants telling you are doing it right! Well done!