Need help with Cymbidium

[Tinkerbell]

Last night I went to the grocery store and there was this cym sitting outside
it didnt look real good. So Iwent to the manager and ask how much he would
take for it, He said oh just give me $10.00, so I took her home. I started
reading last night and everything said they are hard to grow inside. I am in Georgia and its to hot in the summer and to cold in the winter. So I put her
in a front bedroom window which faces south. There are blinds and sheers
on that window. Do you think she will get enough light? I posted pic's of her,
Please let me know what ya'll think? ( Oh that crazy plant that got in there
down at the bottom is a night Blooming Cirrus.)

[clarita]

acclimate the plant so you can open the blinds and sheers after its done blooming. What are your temps?

[Tinkerbell]

In the house it's 68 to 70 degrees. I did close the heater vent in that bedroom.

[jbigio]

Hi
I have one that I bought in bloom at Parkside that is now in the house. Keep it in bright indirect light, moist but not soaking wet. Humidity is important as is air movement, I lost some older leaved when I first moved it in but I have about 5 new growths so it seems to be doing well. I'm sure yours will to.
Joe

[BunnytheOrchid]

I have always wanted to try cymbidiums but I didn't think I had the right conditions to keep it outside. So here is the link to the AOS culture sheet.

http://www.aos.org/aos/orchids/docum...ecymbidium.pdf

From reading that (since I don't know much about cyms), it sounds like it will need a lot more light if that is the natural light it's getting in the room. But I'm no expert on cyms. I'm sure other people will know better on the lighting. Good luck! It's lucky to have been rescued

[Tinkerbell]

Thank-you for the site that was very helpful. I think I am going to have to buy artificial
lights.

[ganim]

Dont have any knowledge about Cym. all i know from what i read is that it needs lot of light and cooler temp. And also it is a heavy feeder. But wow what a find, here in my place u can get that big for 35 bucks and more.

[kmarch]

Hi Tinkerbell,

Your cymbidium-growing conditions in Georgia are better than you might think. You said that Georga is is too hot in summer and too cold in winter. That may be a true for a human but not for a cymbidium. Cymbidiums like cool autumns and winters and warm summers. They can thrive in summer temperatures in the 100F range and winters in the 40F range. They are tough plants and I bet you could grow your Cymbidium outdoors all year (unless you get some winter nights around freezing). Cymbidiums need a cool autumn and winter in order to initiate their bloom cycles.

Go to the American Orchid Society and download a culture sheet on cymbidiums. Give it a good read and let us know if you have any questions.

Here in Melbourne, Australia, where it gets really hot in the summer and down to about 40F in winter, we grow cymbidiums outdoors all year. Give them lots of water and give them as much light as possible but protect them from the burning direct sun.

I really like the dark cymbidiums like the one you've chosen. Let us know how it goes. Oh and don't bother with artificial lights for your cymbidium.

[Tinkerbell]

Thank-you very much. Do you think I should move it outside now?

[kmarch]

How cold are the nights now?

[Tinkerbell]

In the mid 40's to 50's

[Tinkerbell]

But the weather is really unpredictable here right now one day it will be in the mid 70's
then the next day it's in the 30's...until the 1st of April then it starts really warmming up.

[kmarch]

I think you could probably put it outside now. Cymbids are tough plants and can tolerate a wide range of temps. Just keep watch of the weather and if there are any forecasts around freezing bring them in for the night. Your cymbid will love the 40-50F temps. As the spring warms up (50-60F), you can fertilize through the spring and summer.

[Vivienne]

Kevin - I'm going to have to break down and put my Cyms outside this year. Can they go straight from the heated indoor temp (around 68) to 40-50 temps? Or do they need to get acclimated gradually?

[Debbie Hayden]

Congratulations, Tinkerbell. It looks like you got a beautiful orchid that is going to do well for you. Good luck!

[Tinkerbell]

Thank-you so much, I'm going to put her outside

Jamie

[articuno75]

I'm waiting til it warms up to put the two I got outside. They'd freeze now if I tried.

[palito]

Tinkerbell

Cymbidium hybrids are not too hard to keep here in the south, but they can be tricky or impossible to bloom, depending on their parentage.

most traditional cyms that grow in california like garden weeds, don't do well here in TX. Since summer nights are still over 80F, they don't bloom, just grow leaves and they demand lots of water during the heat.

the hybrids with australian parentage, like 'Little Black Sambo' are ideal , they love the heat, and bloom profusely.

[BunnytheOrchid]

I didn't realize cymbidiums were so temperature hardy. Then again, the culture sheet on AOS says they're tolerant into the 30s! Pretty impressive plant

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

Kevin - I'm going to have to break down and put my Cyms outside this year. Can they go straight from the heated indoor temp (around 68) to 40-50 temps? Or do they need to get acclimated gradually?

Well I dunno. Here in Australia no one ever brings them in. My orchid mates in Michigan, those who put orchids outside for the warmer months did acclimate them, which meant for about the first week they brought them back in at night.

[Tinkerbell]

Thank-you Palito ...I don't know what kind mine is. Can you tell by looking at it?
It didn't come with a tag.