What kind of pots do our Cymbidium experts use!

[jsehorn]

Standard Cymbidiums are a no-go here as far as I am concerned because of the summer heat and the nonexistent fall (it goes from summer to winter overnight with basically no fall-like period).

That being said, I have a few of the new "heat tolerant" Cymbs from Odom's. It is left to be seen whether they will still bloom in my climate or not, but for the moment, they are growing like you wouldn't believe. They came in 4 inch pots, and they were actually pushing themselves out of their pots when I got them, so I immediately repotted into 6 inch pots (the shorty kind I use for all my other orchids).

There is still plenty room in all of them to allow for new pseudobulbs, but the thing is that the roots are just going crazy. The pots are bulging in places because of new root growth, and one of them has actually cracked. All of them have roots trying to grow out the drainage holes.

I guess my question is basically this: Even though there is room for new vegetative growth in the pots, do I drop them into 8 inch pots to allow for the crazy root growth? I have heard it said that Cymbs like to be a little pot-bound to flower better, but like I said, there are so many new roots that they're cracking the pots. I want there to be plenty of room for all the happy roots, but I don't want to overpot. Do I pot up, or do I just get sturdier pots haha? What are your thoughts?

[orchidlover55]

Jeff I dont know your answer but if you don't mind I have a question for you . I have grown different kinds of orchids for years but just a year ago I fell in love with cymbidiums and bought me seven . Right off I lost three and the other four has not grown very much at all . I live in Alabama around Birmingham area and I do have a slight fall but remembering when I traveled for a living the heat in the summer gets almost as hot as there in Oklahoma . Can you throw me some tips on how to get mine to bust my pots with roots i would so happy lol

[Ron]

I guess my question is basically this: Even though there is room for new vegetative growth in the pots, do I drop them into 8 inch pots to allow for the crazy root growth? I have heard it said that Cymbs like to be a little pot-bound to flower better, but like I said, there are so many new roots that they're cracking the pots. I want there to be plenty of room for all the happy roots, but I don't want to overpot. Do I pot up, or do I just get sturdier pots haha? What are your thoughts?

The best pots are the deep black pots 8 inch wide pots are arond 8 to 9 inches deep,
Cymbids do not need to be pot bound to flower.
Basically when you pot up from a six to 8 inch the plants spends the first couple of months establishing a good root system then goes onto produe good top growth and eventually flowers
Heat tolarent Cymbids are the ones were in hot climates they get little winter drop in temps to temp them in flowering mode.

As for excess summer heat, our area in most summers subject to temps well over 100F most days and often around 110-115F some days, mine grow and flower well under these conditions

[Andrew]

I use standard sized pots for my Cyms, not squat pots. This usually provides enough room for root growth. As far as diameter, I usually choose a pot that will that will fit an additional 2 pseudobulb's width around the entire plant.

[bearded orchid]

I have a seedling right now so my experience repotting is limited but ive heard and read they like deep pots a lot.

[jsehorn]

Okay well it sounds like the issue might be the depth of the pots. Instead of using the shorty pots I use for my other orchids, I should try the standard deep pots. They're so happy, I don't want to disturb them, so I won't do a full repot, but I may just go ahead and drop them into deeper pots. Thanks for the tips, y'all!

[jsehorn]

And thanks, Ron, your summers sound about the same as what we get here in OKC. If you can bloom Cymbidiums, then I can too.

[jsehorn]

And Orchidlover, these are my first experiments with Cymbidiums in my climate. The plants are growing like mad, but they're still too young to flower. When I get the fist flower spike, I'll let you know! I'm not going to fuss over them. They'll either bloom under the conditions I am able to provide, or they'll find new homes.

[Epipactis12]

Hi Jeff. Very different climate here, but I go out to the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate to look at the beautiful orchids, get advice, and sometimes to volunteer. They tend to start their cymbidiums in small pots (backbulbs), but then pot them up to what I would call "1 gallon" pots. I asked Alice about that and she said they are called cymbidium pots since someone once complained that the pot wasn't a perfect gallon. At any rate, they thrive in these pots before being bumped up again. Here is a link of interest to me.

Growing Guides from Santa Barbara Orchid Estate

[jsehorn]

My plants are perfectly happy and growing like mad; I think I just need deeper pots.

[orchids4me]

Right now I have my cyms in round black 1 gallon tall pots like the ones you see in the nursery they sell small shrubs and stuffin like that.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Epipactis12

Hi Jeff. Very different climate here, but I go out to the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate to look at the beautiful orchids, get advice, and sometimes to volunteer. They tend to start their cymbidiums in small pots (backbulbs), but then pot them up to what I would call "1 gallon" pots. I asked Alice about that and she said they are called cymbidium pots since someone once complained that the pot wasn't a perfect gallon. At any rate, they thrive in these pots before being bumped up again. Here is a link of interest to me.

Growing Guides from Santa Barbara Orchid Estate

Most of the comercial Cymbidiums in Australia are grown in 8 inch pots that contain 4.5 liters of bark, hence the name 'Gallon pots".
At this size you would expect 3 to 4 + flower spikes in a standard Cymbidium, often quiet a few more.