Cymbidium Care

[LLW]

Now that I have received such a warm welcome and gained a lot of info just reading topics in the various forums here I have a question. (Actually I have a lot of questions, I'm just trying not to scare ya'll off too quick!)

I have a cymbidium that is amazingly, still alive after I have had it for more than a year. It was in glorious bloom when I got it as a gift and it still looks healthy. I have repotted it because it was growing out of the pot it came in, but I really have not done anything else to it except talk to it and water it just like I do my other orchids. Now what do I do? Can I get it to bloom again? LLW

[LLW]

My only excuse is that I am new to this forum! I did a little more looking around and found at least part of the answer to my question in the orchid culture forum. (duh!)

That said,because I'm a little slow, I need more info on how to communicate with my cymbidium better. Cynthia, Precott, Az. you gave Anton a great answer but I want to know MORE! My cym. does have new growth with lots of nice leaves and I know it needs to have help now to bloom in the spring, but that is about all I know. What to do? LLW

[mayres]

I'm just trying my hand at one myself, but it looks like the trick is cool temps at night (55 or even less) and lots of sunshine should do the trick. Someone gave me one a few months ago that has been somewhat neglected and I'm anxious to see if I can get it to bloom or will have to wait another year until it is healther. The majority appear to be spring bloomers though I see some starting to show up bud/bloom in stores now from california.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Yes, cool nights for the standard Cymbidiums. Some of the miniatures have warmer parents in their lineage. Here we leave the standards outside until frost is expected. They can usually even take a little frost, so it is not a dangerous thing to let them stay out until frost is expected. Then you want the highest light possible without burning too many leaves (I usually burn a few during summer, white/black spots facing the sun), and cool conditions if possible until last frost is past and you can put them back out side again. Outdoors is good with full early morning sun before it gets too warm. If you only get occasional frosts, leave them out with overhead protection from the sky view (not from rain tho), this will usually protect them from the frost. Cynthia

[LLW]

Well I see I probably will have a problem. I am in San Antonio, Texas, and we seem to be having the most unpredictable weather possible right now. Of course this is really nothing new, just frustrating. Last week we had such cold night temps I would not have dared put my cym outside and last night I was out in shorts and a sleeveless shirt. I will just have to put on my thinking cap and see what I can come up with. I am also open to suggestion!

Another question, this cym has been indoors since I got it, wouldn't a major change in temp shock it? Would it be better to lower its' night temps a little at a time to acclimate it? (This is assuming I can figure out how to lower them.)

Thanks again for the information, now I just have to figure out how to put it into practice. LLW

[jerrymeola]

LLW

You should realize the you are fighting a difficult battle. The American Orchid Society recommends that they not be grown by anyone in states on the Gulf of Mexico. It is just too hot to get them to flower.

Indoors you are not going to have enough light and outside the temps are just too high. I have seen people try to cool them by watering with ice cubes, but it is a lot of work and there are hundreds of thousands of easier orchids to grow in Texas.

Good luck but if it does not flower do not blame yourself. The seller really should not be selling them in Texas.

[LLW]

Wow! Thanks for all the info. I had figured it was an uphill battle after I read a little about cyms. At least I can say I did not actually buy it for myself. After my pure dumb luck with the Phals I usually do some research before I add a new kind of orchid to my collection to lower the possibility of orchidicide.

Oh well, I have never shied away from a challenge, so I may try the cym outside and see what happens. I have never put one of my orchids outside so this will be a new one for me. LLW

[gerneveyn]

A question on cymbidium culture...This past summer I divided and repotted my cymbidium in primeagra. The divisions seem fine, and one has new leaf growth. But for some reason, the backbulbs got all mushy and rotten. Is this caused by the same kind of microbes responsible for root rot?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Well, it may be the same organisms, but such rot usually occurs because the bulbs are old and weakened from age and possibly the repotting. As long as the rot is restricted to the old bulbs, I would not worry about it. Such bulbs are often cast off by the plant, and they rot in the process. When repotting, it is the usual practice to remove old bulbs past some age or some number of bulbs counting backward. If they are remove at that time, they can usually be used to start new plants, whereas, if left on the plant, they will wither. I think the forward part of the plant will sometimes remove nutrients from the backbulbs, insuring their demise. Cynthia

[junieg2]

along these same lines....and maybe this will help other newbie cymbidium growers. My cymbidiums were repotted this spring, right after purchase, because they too were growing out of their plastic containers. Now quite a few of the leaves are turning brown and dropping off. Is this due to lack of water or humidity? I have them in my sunroom as I thought they were getting too much sun when I had put them outside initially. Any ideas jcg

[mayres]

One of my cyms also got quite a few brown leaves after I both repotted and put outside for the summer. I think it is a double-whammy of trauma with BOTH repotting and placing outside at once. All of my orchids find it difficult to make the transition - mostly because I cannot be home to make the transition more gradual for them - just a few more minutes each day until they are totally and "officially" feeling like they are outdoor plants instead of indoor plants. After two seasons, and some varied amounts of trauma (depending upon placement and genus) the plants eventually thrive and obviously love it outside - right now they look like they would like to stay out there all year - of course this will not be possible come October sometime when freezing night temperatures approach. mike

[PhalPal]

Your leaves may be getting sunburned. Cyms like lots of direct light, not direct sun. They also like to be very crowded in their pots, very crowded. Move them out from any direct sun and water them more heavily during hot spells, never letting the media dry out completely. Humidity is the more so the enemy to cyms then heat; many experienced growers cannot grow them in Florida and other areas of the east coast. Our temps have been above 100 for several days but with low humidity, and my cyms are just grinning through it. I have them outside under a eucalyptus tree in the shade with indirect light and they do fine. I am sure some other geeks with higher humidity conditions can help you more, but for now move them out of the sun!