james mickelso |
05-18-2012 01:04 AM |
Cyms...first years growth after repotting. Feed it heavily and watering to keep damp but not wet. Lift the pot. When it is dry it is light. Feed from june to oct where you are. 20-20-20 is good. Second year. Feed same as first year. But in august start feeding it a higher phosphrus/potassium percentage and leave out in the cold short of frost. Warm it up in the daytime if you can. Wrap in black heavy paper like a dog collar so the paper absorbs the warmth and reradiates it. The spike will come around oct-dec. Slack off on the watering as the plant is going into dormancy and the pbulb is producing the flower spike and not feeding itself as much. Cyms are two and for some species, three year plants. They generally don't produce flowers until there are three old bulbs and a new growth two to three years old unless they are forced in near perfect conditions. Up in the Santa Barbara area here in California they grow incredible cyms. And Casa de las Orchideas in Solana Beach they grow them even better. Cyms like to be repotted about every two to three years. But don't abuse their roots. Just take out of the pot, clean the roots of old mix gently, and repot into new mix. Don't water for a week.
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