Cymbidium culture Ques

[Ron-NY]

I don't have the room to grow standard sized Cyms but have 3 of them. My oldest Cym Show Girl was bought as a left over at the supermarket after Easter many years ago. Year before last I repotted and it didn't bloom for me this past spring. My 2 others, Cym Hugh Gordon ‘Black Tiger’ was a gift from a New Zealand friend and I have not been able to get it to bloom. My 3rd is a species traceyanum. I think that needs further time to grow. The question I have is: Do Cyms like to be root bound to bloom? I grow these in high light, well fertilized and a fall cool down.

[wetfeet101b]

Hi Ron,

I am not sure about the rootbound part.
Most of my cym hybrids bloom the following season after dividing and repotting. Of course, I get better performance in subsequent seasons but that is probably because the plant has grown more pseudobulbs rather than being rootbound.

They do like to stay moist during the summer though. So more roots in the pot probably equates to more water being stored in the velamen instead of flowing out of the pots.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

I have heard that they do better being root-bound also, Ron. I don't know how much fact is in that, but all of our cyms are root-bound and bloom regularly.

Cheers,
BD

[bench72]

hmm... i wonder if you are leaving the cool down too late... here in Oz, most folks say that when summer comes, start watering at night to keep it cooler...

[Ron-NY]

not sure. I am using the natural cool down of the season. I leave them out except for when a frost is predicted. As soon as freezing temps arrive, they will come in to a cool bright spot. The one I used to note spikes sometime in Jan with blooms around Easter.

[wonderlen]

It's not too late for the hybrids, but might be too late for traceyanum. Cym. traceyanum is a winter/early spring bloomer and need to be chilled as early June/July and don't forget it's also a very large plant along with hookerianum. So it might need to get a little more mature or establish again since repotting. I heard Show Girl has some warmth tolerant blood in the line, but it also depend on the clone. Just keep the plant around 10-12 at night and not more than 18-20 during the day and maybe u might get lucky for spring flower. Most of the cym. on supermarket are temperature controlled so they will bloom just around the holidays so it might bloom other part of the season too.

[Ron-NY]

Thanks...the Cym. traceyanum is small 3 mature growths, one backbulb, and one new growth from this season. It is a recent acquisition. coming to me in the fall of 2007. I did notice this week, either 2 more growth starts or 2 spikes on it...I never can tell with Cyms but I find 2 growths next to each other and equal size unusual.
What do you think??

[Ondy]

The two new looking growths look like new shoots rather than spikes.I would get rid of the dead husks by splitting and peeling away. Cymbidiums, like most orchids flower better when root bound.Do not allow more than one inch of extra space when repotting.
Flower spikes look more rounded than growth spikes showing in the picture.