Beginner Cymbidium - when to repot?

[Optimist]

I'll tell you what. I am a sculptor, but it does not require great artistic skills to make a cement planter. When my camera is fixed, I ought to do a demo on making cement pots.

[ajeatoo]

I know in my area we get gusty winds so heavy cement pots would be great to keep things from being blown over! But they are expensive here.


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[mimigirl]

I dont put my orchids out at all! Unless it is very early spring, which in new orleans isnt very long. We have a very large black 'grasshopper' that is crunchy and nothing kills them after they get that big. Also by the time you find the babies the only thing you can do is stomp on them. So my cyms are in a south window. Got them last may as they were coming out of bloom and they havent bloomed since. I think my feeding is ok cause my catts bloomed in same area. Wish i knew how to post pics!

[silken]

Originally Posted by mimigirl

I dont put my orchids out at all! Unless it is very early spring, which in new orleans isnt very long. We have a very large black 'grasshopper' that is crunchy and nothing kills them after they get that big. Also by the time you find the babies the only thing you can do is stomp on them. So my cyms are in a south window. Got them last may as they were coming out of bloom and they havent bloomed since. I think my feeding is ok cause my catts bloomed in same area. Wish i knew how to post pics!

If they are the standard Cyms they do need a cool chill to initiate blooms. Would the grasshoppers be gone by fall that you could put it out then for a few weeks of cool temps?

[mimigirl]

Silken i thought that since the windowsill is cold that was enough. I will put them out as soon as i dont see the grasshoppers on steroids from hell, if you think that is what it needs. Thanks. How do you post a pic in a reply? You need to see this black thing!

[silken]

Originally Posted by mimigirl

Silken i thought that since the windowsill is cold that was enough. I will put them out as soon as i dont see the grasshoppers on steroids from hell, if you think that is what it needs. Thanks. How do you post a pic in a reply? You need to see this black thing!

I and many other Cym growers leave the Cyms out in the fall till close to freezing. So if your windowsill gets that cool, then it might be OK. But it likely doesn't. 1 of mine actually starts showing spikes well before that. But it does need to be reasonably cool.

To add a picture in a reply you can just click on the paper clip in the tools above the message box. You'll get a window to search for your photo and attach it.

[ajeatoo]

Om so my CYM has been sitting outside since I repotted, I have only watered once. I checked the medium today and dug down a bit and noticed the medium is still damp which is ok. But what worries me is allot of it has this green mildew stuff growing on tuna few inches down around the roots! Now I'm concerned! I purchased the mix at a local nursery, should I repot? The mix seemed fine but now I'm thinking I should sterilize it somehow... What should I do? You can see in the pic there is one piece of bark that has this green stuff on it.

[silken]

From your photo, I would say the pot is somewhat larger than I would use for that plant. Over potting causes media to stay wet too long and results in root rot issues. I am also wondering if there are any side drainage/air holes or just something (hopefully) on the bottom? I prefer more than just a few bottom holes in a larger pot because there is so much media, it is hard to ever get dry. I would find a smaller pot with a few side holes as well as bottom holes. The pot should just nicely fit the root ball with a bit of room for extra growth of pseudo bulbs but not more than several years worth.

[ajeatoo]

Actually there was only 1 1/2" from the root ball to the side of the pot. The root ball is fairly large. I didn't know you could cut them back. The next size pot down is basically the size it was in. As for drain holes it has several on the bottom. I wondered about side slits but I have never seen a larger pot with side venting and I've never seen a CYM with this either. I was going off of recommendations posted above in this thread and others.
My gut is telling me I should in pot it. But what to do next I have no idea. Maybe un pot and drill some holes in the sides? What should I do about the mix?


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[WhiteRabbit]

Could be algae which isn't a worry.

Regarding the drainage of the pot, I pot Cyms in standard nursery pots (1, 2, 3 gallon pots) - I don't add any more holes, and have no issues.