Cymbidium Orchids

~ By Betty G. ~

Of the countless orchid varieties around, cymbidiums are very popular for not just their beauty but for the fact that they are truly hardy in nature. They can even stand neglect for weeks at a time and still live without food and water.

Of course, I would surely NOT ADVISE NEGLECTING THEM.

With just little care, you will be rewarded with wonderful floral displays in shades of yellows, greens and my favorite, burgundies.

For optimum success, I use an orchid fertilizer and I pretty much follow the instructions on the label.

As far as watering goes, during the growing season, I water every 3rd day but on excessively hot days, I do water daily.

Most cymbidium orchids do not bloom until they reach 4 feet in height, but many of the new hybrids actually will produce flowers when they are just 1 foot tall. Even more amazing is the simple fact that these hybrids are better suited to hot weather and have a rich variety of scents to boot.

As a rule of thumb, cymbidiums grow best in temperatures that fall between 60 and 85 degrees during the daytime hours and from 40 to 55 degrees at night. But, as mentioned earlier, these are very hardy plants so they can tolerate both very hot and cold temps for short periods of time as long as they are sheltered from wind and frost. However, if you wish to see blooms, bringing them indoors will not be wise as most homes are too dark and too warm for them to produce flowers.

When your orchid outgrows its pot, please do not try to divide it. Knock the old pot away, shake off the old potting mix and pot in a container that is one size larger using fresh orchid compost.

For all the reasons mentioned above, I would highly recommend the cymbidium to orchid lovers everywhere. This goes double for any novice is trying to grow orchids for the first time.

         

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