cym

[dman]

Does anyone know if a cymbidium can be encouraged to "stool out"by drastic trim of mature growth spikes to force more root growth?Tis method works with cereal crops ,and yes I know isn,t apples to apples but thoughts?

[kmarch]

My advice is to treat apples like apples and treat orchids like orchids. Your Cymbidium will grow all the roots it needs if you give it good cymbidium culture.

[Andrew]

Never tried it but I would suspect not. My understanding is that the strongest new root growth generally comes from the new growths as they mature. I would have thought cutting the new shoots would simply stimulate the secondary eyes to develop with no gain in root growth from the old pseudobulbs and a waste of the energy used to produce the initial shoot. Aside for hormone treatment, the only way that I'm aware of that will force new root grow in Cyms is to cut out the old root system, although it's probably not recommended unless you have a Cym that is reluctant to produce new roots when disturbed (eg canaliculatum).

[dman]

Thanks to those who didn,t reply with a guffaw.This site seems to have the right spirit.AHEM,I can say it myself,that the old addage of "no dumb question"was dangerously close to being disproven by myself.
BTW Andrew I hope that you and yours were safe fr.recent Aussie floods and hope that forcasted cyclone passed without effect.Get a twinge of jealousy however when I see posted member locales and the preesumed warmer weather vs. my wintery predicament.Oh well,thats why GOD gave us ten fingers;I can freeze 8 and that still leaves me with 2.