Cym buds didn't open

[Danelady]

I have a Cymbidium I bought a couple of years ago. It was out of bloom when I purchased it and since it's a NOID I have no idea what the blooms look like! This fall right before I brought it in for the winter it developed a spike and started to develop some buds also. We had a couple of nights of cold rain and they all fell off. It developed another spike shortly after I brought it inside. This one grew well with lots of fat buds. They never opened, though and have now turned mushy and started dropping off. What would cause this to happen? The first one I believe was due to the cold rain. The second, though, developed totaly inside and has sat in the same place all this time. I've watered it very little since it is in a bark and potting soil mixture and doesn't dry fast inside. Could it have been over watered? Are you not supposed to water cyms while they are in bloom? I have another smaller cym that I have not had this problem with. So, here I am, 2 years later still not knowing what the blooms will look like!! Although based on the buds, I think they may be white. I picked one of them apart and maybe there will be some purple in the lip. It looks like it would have had beautiful flowers. I would love to find out what I am doing wrong so I can get this right next year!!! Please help!!

[-k-]

Cyms are actually heavy feeders, mine are potted up the same way, course bark mix and soil. I keep them evenly moist at all times and apply 10-30-30 fert weekly / bi-weekly (depending on if it has rained or not) around September and taper off once the spike appears. I left mine outside into November, even some nights that got into the low 30's.
It is very unusual that yours dropped the way they did, what's your indoor growing conditions like, ie: light, humidity, avg. day/night temp?

Cyms seem to be very hardy plants, I am no expert on them though only having 2 in the collection; but what I can say is where I grow them for the indoor months is right next to one of our outside doors. It receives high light and decent humidity but being next to the door it also gets exposed to cold air quiet frequently and it never seemed to mind; having produced blooms 2 years in a row. Hopefully a cym expert will be along to help out.

[orchids4me]

Originally Posted by -K-

Cyms are actually heavy feeders, mine are potted up the same way, course bark mix and soil. I keep them evenly moist at all times and apply 10-30-30 fert weekly / bi-weekly (depending on if it has rained or not) around September and taper off once the spike appears. I left mine outside into November, even some nights that got into the low 30's.
It is very unusual that yours dropped the way they did, what's your indoor growing conditions like, ie: light, humidity, avg. day/night temp?

Cyms seem to be very hardy plants, I am no expert on them though only having 2 in the collection; but what I can say is where I grow them for the indoor months is right next to one of our outside doors. It receives high light and decent humidity but being next to the door it also gets exposed to cold air quiet frequently and it never seemed to mind; having produced blooms 2 years in a row. Hopefully a cym expert will be along to help out.

-K-
What kind of soil do you use?
Thanks
Emmaye

[berniep]

Tips on growing Cymbidiums in Portland, OR

G'day Dane Lady

Seems some good info in this thread, posted in Orchidgeeks.

Cheers
Bernie

[-k-]

Originally Posted by orchids4me

-K-
What kind of soil do you use?
Thanks
Emmaye

I use a mix of regular old potting soil and compost from my garden, I only use a small amount in combination with fir bark. I grow my cyms in ceramic pots and they really seem to like the mix, they grew like a weed over the spring and summer months.