| Hi gummie and welcome to the fourm.
First thing, forget almost EVERYTHING the florist said. I've come across some amazing and strange urban myth-like recommendations for growing orchids, things like put them in a bag under your kitchen sink for a month or put them in your cellar in the winter. I have no idea where these things come from. Yet in one respect, the florist is sort of on the right track with the ice (more on that later) although he/she does miss the target Lets start over at the beginning.
In Florida you could grow your Cymbidium outdoors all year. You'd only need to bring it in on those rare occasions when you get a frost or freezing rain. Cymbidiums like lots of light and so it might not like all the shade it is getting indoors. Have you got a place outdoors where it could get bright, dappled light? Not direct noon-time burning sun but maybe bright indirect light like on the east side of your house?
The best time to repot your Cymbidium is after it blooms. Go to a reputable orchid nusery or other large nusery that sells orchids or orchid growing supplies, there are loads of them in Florida, look one up in the yellow pages or online. Get some medium to large size bark mix suitable for Cymbidiums and a pot, black or clear plastic (clear if available because it will be easier to see if the roots are doing well). How big a pot? Well it depends on how big your plant is. Pick a pot that is big enough to allow for about 2 inches from your bulbs to the edge of the pot.
If the orchid mix you buy is dry, soak it for a few hours before repotting your Cymbidium. Pull the plant out of the old pot and look at the roots. Are they white-ish and crispy looking or are they brown-ish and mushy? White and crispy are good, healthy roots. We will hope this is what you find. If you find any brown mushy ones, gently pull or snip them off. Don't pull mix off if it is stuck to the roots as you don't want to damage good healthy roots but some mix may fall away. Let it go.
When putting the roots in the new pot and mix, I hold the plant and pot with one hand (a bit of a trick if the plant is big) lettin the roots hang down into the pot and drop mix in with the other, occasionally banging the pot on the table to settle the mix in around the roots without me pushing it in and brusing good roots. When i have enough mix in, I press the mix down around the edges of the pot to firm it up a little more. I find this technique (which I learned from someone somewhere, I can't now remember) allows me to get the plant firmly anchored in the new pot/mix without crushing any good roots.
It will soon be the time (if it hasn't already) for Cymbidiums to start sending up new shoots. You might see one at the base of one of the mature bulbs. Cymbidiums like lots of water when they are growing. Water it at least once a week in the summer when it is hot and the plant is growing. Don't let the plant completely dry out. Forget the 3/4 cup thing. Pour lots of water in the top of the pot until it comes out the bottom. You could fertilize too at this stage.
Throughout the spring and summer you should get a new growth. Cymbidiums usually bloom once a year and it is the cooling off of autumn that triggers their blooming and they bloom in winter and early spring. In Florida this may not happen until winter (perhpas some of the Florida growers could add comments here). This is where the ice somes in. If your autumn is staying too warm, your Cymbidium might not bloom. To try to simulate the cool autumn nights, some people put ice on top of the mix (not touching the plant) in the evening and the melting ice cools the roots and the air around the base of the plant which is where the flower spike will grow. So while the florist had the right idea, the time was all wrong. Don't use ice when the plant is in bloom, only use it in the autumn/winter and even then only if the temps are not dropping. Why the florist said to do it on Sunday is a mystery. I don't know what is important about icing a plant on Sunday.
Now that oyu know how to take care of your Cymbidium, lets address the fading flowers and yellowing leaves. It is very possible you received your orchid in full flower, correct? The blossoms last only so long, like all flowers, and fade and drop off. It is very possible you received the plant when the flowers only had about 3 weeks of life left in them. Cymbidium flowers can last 2 months or more. Don't worry about the fading flowers. Once the flowers are gone and the stem has dried up, you can cut it off.
Fading leaves are sometimes normal and sometimes a sign of trouble. If the dying leaves are on an old growth, this is common. I just had an old growth on one ofmy Cymbidiums loose all of its leaves. If the roots look healthy when you repot or if the dying leaves are on an old growth i would not worry. If the dying leaves are on a new growth or if you find many rotted roots the plant needs some help. Repotting and finding a place where the light is better will help. Others may have some other additional advice ot post here so look for their comments as well.
Is all of that helpful? I hope so and hopefully this time next year you'll be telling us how beautifully your Cymbidium has rebloomed for you!
Cheers,
-Kevin  |