How To Maintain Plants Of Cymbidium Orchids?

This guide provides essential information on caring for Cymbidium orchids, a popular plant for home gardeners. It covers light requirements, soil, watering and fertilizing, temperature and humidity preferences, and propagation tips. Cymbidium orchids, native to the Himalayas, produce exotic blooms from late autumn to spring and require a moist growing medium. They thrive in warm, bright light but need shade from strong sun.

To propagate new Cymbidium orchids, follow these steps:

1. Place the orchid in a protected spot away from direct sunlight and wind.
2. Fertilize at the proper time to help Cymbidiums flower. Use a high nitrogen fertilizer (30-10-10) from March until May, or a balanced fertilizer like (30-10-10).
3. Water once every week, with rainwater if possible, or boiled and cooled water. Don’t let plants dry out, but also don’t let them sit in water.
4. Water Cymbidiums about once a week in cool months, and every other day or daily in hot summers.
5. Provide dapple sun light, be potted in a free-draining orchid mix, and water regularly, especially in the warm to hot seasons.

In summary, this guide provides essential information on caring for Cymbidium orchids, including light requirements, soil, watering and fertilizing, temperature and humidity preferences, and propagation tips.

Why don’t my cymbidiums flower?

Cymbidiums require at least 50 light hours, especially in moderate shade under trees. Avoid placing them under dense shade or near walls that restrict light. Direct sunlight can burn their foliage, so it’s essential to avoid direct sunlight. Good air movement is crucial to reduce fungi and bacterial problems. Keep pots off the ground for air circulation and drainage. Protect them from direct winds.

Watering should be varied based on climatic conditions, with evening watering during mid-Spring to early Autumn, morning watering in late autumn, winter, and early spring, and watering once a week in cooler times. Cymbidiums flower for 8 to 12 weeks each year, so when they swell and buds emerge, bring them out of the weather and keep them dry to prevent bruising.

How do you care for a Cymbidium orchid indoors?

Cymbidiums are light-loving orchids known for their abundant, strap-like foliage and dense clusters of long-lasting flowers. They are popular as cut flowers or grown as ornamental plants. Cymbidiums come in two types: standard and miniature. Standard Cymbidiums can have flowers up to 5″ wide but require cooler temperatures, while miniature Cymbidiums have flowers half this size but are still beautiful. They need a temperature difference between night (50-60° F) and day (about 75° F) to bloom well.

Light, golden-green leaves indicate sufficient light, dark green leaves indicate insufficient light, and slightly red leaves indicate too much light. Cymbidiums can sunburn, so they should not receive direct sun, similar to wild Cymbidiums that receive partial shade from tree leaves. They should be placed near an east-facing or slightly shaded south window and should not receive direct sun.

Are coffee grounds good for Cymbidium orchids?

While coffee grounds are beneficial as a compost addition, their decomposition is not effective for most orchids. Furthermore, the rapid decomposition of orchid potting bark caused by coffee grounds leads to root rot. It is therefore recommended that these grounds be reserved for use with other plants.

Do Cymbidium orchids need full sun?

Plant Cymbidium Orchids in a filtered light position or part shade to avoid scalding or dark greening. Adjust the light conditions as needed. Plant the crown just below the surface in an orchid mix. Keep the plant well watered during flowering and summer, and moist in winter. Avoid leaving the pot base in a saucer that collects water. Watering schedules vary for each area, with summer watering two to three times per week, autumn watering once to twice per week, winter watering once per week, and spring watering as for autumn.

How often should I water Cymbidium orchids?

Cymbidium orchids require regular watering, especially when the potting medium is dry. Watering should be done two to three times a week in summer and once a week in winter, and once or twice a week in spring and autumn. Repotting is recommended between October and December, allowing for division of larger plants into separate pots. Use a mixture of sieved bark and marble chips as a potting medium and enlarge drainage holes at the base of plastic pots.

Avoid compressing the medium and water generously after potting. To control pests and disease, plant cymbidium orchids off the ground and in containers, as slugs and snails are their worst enemies. Regular use of snail bait every two weeks during the flowering season can help control these pests.

What is the lifespan of a cymbidium flower?

Cymbidiums are a long-living species of orchids, with a lifespan of up to 100 years in their ideal climate and natural habitat. With proper care, they can live up to 15 to 20 years as a houseplant. Cymbidium flowers last long, with potted or in-ground cymbidiums lasting one to three months and cut cymbidiums lasting up to 6 weeks in fresh water. They typically bloom once from one stem and rebloom the following growing season. To force a rebloom, lower temperatures, withhold water, and prune the stem to just above a healthy node.

What is the best fertilizer for cymbidiums?

To help Cymbidiums flower, fertilize them at the right time using a high nitrogen fertilizer from March to May, a balanced fertilizer from June to September, and a blossom booster like Dyna Grow Bloom once spikes form in early spring. Avoid fertilizing during winter. Heavy watering once a month is necessary to leach accumulated fertilizer salts from the potting medium. Potting is usually done in the spring after flowering, usually every two years when the potting medium decomposes.

Shake the old potting mix off the roots and divide the plant if desired. Choose a water-retentive potting mix, such as medium-grade fir bark with peat moss and perlite, or compost or general potting soil for houseplants. Select a pot that allows for two to three years of pseudobulb growth, 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) larger, before crowding the pot. Place the active growing pseudobulb(s) farthest from the side of the pot, spread roots over a cone-shaped mound of the mix, and fill the container with medium, working it among the roots and tamping firmly.

What is the best fertilizer for Cymbidium?

To help Cymbidiums flower, fertilize them at the right time using a high nitrogen fertilizer from March to May, a balanced fertilizer from June to September, and a blossom booster like Dyna Grow Bloom once spikes form in early spring. Avoid fertilizing during winter. Heavy watering once a month is necessary to leach accumulated fertilizer salts from the potting medium. Potting is usually done in the spring after flowering, usually every two years when the potting medium decomposes.

Shake the old potting mix off the roots and divide the plant if desired. Choose a water-retentive potting mix, such as medium-grade fir bark with peat moss and perlite, or compost or general potting soil for houseplants. Select a pot that allows for two to three years of pseudobulb growth, 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) larger, before crowding the pot. Place the active growing pseudobulb(s) farthest from the side of the pot, spread roots over a cone-shaped mound of the mix, and fill the container with medium, working it among the roots and tamping firmly.

What is the best fertilizer for Cymbidium orchids?

To help Cymbidiums flower, fertilize them at the right time using a high nitrogen fertilizer from March to May, a balanced fertilizer from June to September, and a blossom booster like Dyna Grow Bloom once spikes form in early spring. Avoid fertilizing during winter. Heavy watering once a month is necessary to leach accumulated fertilizer salts from the potting medium. Potting is usually done in the spring after flowering, usually every two years when the potting medium decomposes.

Shake the old potting mix off the roots and divide the plant if desired. Choose a water-retentive potting mix, such as medium-grade fir bark with peat moss and perlite, or compost or general potting soil for houseplants. Select a pot that allows for two to three years of pseudobulb growth, 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) larger, before crowding the pot. Place the active growing pseudobulb(s) farthest from the side of the pot, spread roots over a cone-shaped mound of the mix, and fill the container with medium, working it among the roots and tamping firmly.

What is the best food for Cymbidium orchids?

Cymbidiums should be fed after their flowering period, with Dynamic Lifter pellets being ideal for spring fertilising. After Christmas, switch to flower-promoting liquids like Yates Thrive Orchid Food, applied once a fortnight. Divide crowded orchids into small sections, as smaller clumps take longer to flower. Remove dead flower spikes and use Yates Snail and Slug Bait to protect them. Spray Yates Nature’s Way Citrus and Ornamental Spray to help with scales and mealy bugs.

Orchids flower best when there is a significant difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures, but avoid extremes. Remember to remove dead spikes and use Yates Snail and Slug Bait around the plant.

How do you get Cymbidium to bloom?

Cymbidiums are colorful, bold houseplants that produce exotic blooms from late autumn to spring. They prefer slightly cooler conditions and bloom best after a few months outside in summer. To initiate flowering, ensure good light and a distinct drop in temperature at night. Keep them at 10-24°C (50-75°F) and move outdoors in summer to stimulate flowering. Grow in bark-based orchid compost. Always read the instruction labels on your plants for proper care.