medium for cym's

[syndywindy]

Just curious as to what people use to pot their cymbidiums. I have one that is in a bark moss mix and have had it for about a year. Since having it, it has done nothing. It's healthy, but I have seen no new growth, roots, nothing. I probably shouldn't think anything of it, but... It is outside, it gets good early morning and very late afternoon sun. I know that they are heavy feeders so I use fert every other watering. Should I be concerned?

[CharliesAngel51]

I will be watching this thread to see what kind of medium is recommended. I have 2 cyms that are in need of re potting. The medium they are in now is unrecognizable. Looks like black grit. I have them outside under a covered patio. They only get a little sun in late afternoon. They are on the west side of the house so get plenty of light all day. They are both getting lots of new growth. They seem to be healthy but they are out growing their pots.

We can wait for an answer together.

[Hummer344]

I pot mine in a medium bark mix of my own making. Med bark, perlite, charcole, dyna-roc. You can pack cyms pretty tight with that mix. Cyms will take as much light as you can give um. Mine get early morning direct sun then very bright filtered light until about 3:30 in the afternoon. I water them once a week if temps are in the normal summer time range for here. 80ish. It has been unseasonably cool here the last two weeks so they didn't get watered for that period of time. Now its hot so I may have to water again before the end of the week. I fert. with a balanced fert. about every two weeks right now. Around Oct I will cut that down to every 3 weeks then quit feeding for the winter. For us in CA cyms can be left out year around. I have to cover mine less than 10 days out of the winter. Only when it gets below 35. Hope thats helpfull.

[Ron]

Hi. Synda

I have one that is in a bark moss mix and have had it for about a year. Since having it, it has done nothing. It's healthy, but I have seen no new growth, roots, nothing.

Bark/Moss mix does not sound very exciting.
I use a mix of 4-10 mm pine bark, slow release fertilizer and my plants grow well and flower well every year. Our Temps range in winter from about 34f to 110F.
You need good drainage, well watered when nearly dry in summer and good sunlight.
Nature does rest
Best of luck
Ron

[PhalPal]

I use 6 parts coco husk chips, one part coir, and two parts small cork bits.
Growing them outdoors gives them a great natural cool down they need to set spikes. Cyms like warm daysa and cool nights ideally. Also, if you have yours in too large of a pot it will spend all it's time making roots to fill the pot and not flowers. It may not be getting enough light either; mine take almost full sun in a southern facing backyard.

[berniep]

G'Day Syndy

Ron seems to have answered your question, however I find this site Basic Cymbidium Repotting very useful
as it shows pics of what different mixes look like and what roots and new growth looks like.

Cheers
Bernie

[lmartiny]

I am interested in this as I just repotted but stuck the whole tight rootball into the standard store bought bark mix. I went up about one pot size. It sits in pretty good light and gets direct for a few hours inside a screened patio. I'm not very good at fertilizer as far as scheduled application. But so far so good.

[Anton]

I use Cattleya mix bark, 3/4" chunks of polystyrene foam so the the roots can wander around the mix for a looksee.

Over winter I use a slow release fertilizer that is in pellet form called Seamungus from a company here in Oz called Neutrog:
Neutrog Australia - Your Garden.

I like the open mix which gives good drainage and airflow through the mix. This has a two fold effect, first, the roots don't get waterlogged and second, the mix doesn't go off as it only stays moist and not wet.

During spiking / flowering season, I fertilize once a week with a flush though every three weeks to get rid of built up salts in the mix and also in Spring add a fungicide every couple of weeks as a precaution.

It pays to use a couple of fungicides so that they don't become resistant to it and alternate them.

[evagentry]

I use medium bark mix-Schultz brand- and I add about an inch of composted barnyard manure on top. it helps to hold moisture in and fertilizer. The plants grow well this way for me.

[solay]

I use several things. Mostly depending on what I have at hand. I use shredded redwood bark (used for mulch), coco husk chips, or plain fir bark. I find Cyms. are pretty adaptable and just need a well draining medium. I use a time release fertilizer as well as add Miracle Grow every few watering.

[syndywindy]

Thanks, everyone. That helps me alot. I guess i'll start soaking a mix up and get this baby repotted in the next day or two. Appreciate all the good advice!

[cym 1972]

for my cyms use pine bark also add charcoal from friends fire place.to help promote flowers.charcoal is very high in potassium.