What is my cymbidium doing??

[camille1585]

My NOID cym seems to be doing something weird. Last year it started spikes in February (which then blasted) and the new growths started to appear in march-april. This time however, it started to send out new growths and roots end of november! There are 11 new growths. I stopped fertilizing it in October, when I brought it indoors for the winter. So I have two questions: Is there a chance that it may still bloom this year? And do I need to start feeding it again since it's in active growth?
This cym is getting to be a bit annoying. It's growing like a weed and not flowering (quadrupled in size in less than 3 years It's taking up half the living room!)

[Stefan]

hi camille,
where did you have it before you brought it in, im thinking maybe its not getting enough light. also what are you feeding it with, high nitrogen for cyms leads to growths and no spikes.
stefan

[camille1585]

I put it outside is a spot that is in full sun for all but the hottest part of the day from May to October. The problem is that we had horrible weather in France from June to early September.The temperature went down to nearly freezing at night in July and I think we had no more than 10 sunny days a month! Now it's at a south facing window. As for the fertilizer, I give it a balanced or high nitrogen one in the spring/early summer while it grows, then switch to a liquid 4-6-6 orchid fertilizer until october/early november. Is that still too much nitrogen??

[Stefan]

i think it might be, i dont like liquid fertilizers. the temps seem fine becuase cyms need a cool temp change to get the flowers to form, and it seems like it gets enough sun, so thats the only thing that i can think of that could be the problem. hopefully someone here will give you a more definate answer.
stefan

[smweaver]

Hello, Camille. First of all, congratulations on having eleven new growths on your plant. That's wonderful! Could you post a picture of the plant? It's kind of late for a hybrid Cymbidium to be initiating spikes right now in the Northern Hemisphere. So--and here's the not-so-great news--you might have to wait until next fall to see some spikes. On a more positive note, however, the temperatures you described for your late summer weather in France didn't sound bad at all. Cymbidiums, in my experience, are rather resilient plants. It's good that you have it in a south-facing window now. If you can give it a lot of light now (not sure what the cloud cover is like in your area of France during the winter), I would go ahead and lightly fertilize it. Doing so might give it a head start on the upcoming spring/summer growing season. To encourage to flower next fall, try reducing the amount of water you give it once all of those new growths form; letting it go dry between waterings might help. Coupled with the reduction in water, stop fertilizing it after the new growths mature and give it as much light as possible short of burning its leaves. A wide fluctuation between day and night temperatures at that time might also get it to flower. By doing all of this you'll (hopefully) help your plant realize that a major seasonal change is occurring. Being rather a rather seasonal plant, your Cymbidium might induced to flower. Good luck with your plant. And whatever you do, don't throw it (or give it) away! If it's capable of starting eleven growths at one time, it's worth the extra effort--and space--to keep it happy.

Steve

[Ray]

In addition to the specific formula of the fertilizer, you have to consider the concentration.

I feed my cymbs at 125 ppm N all year long, with no changes, using a 13-3-15 formula, and they bloom like crazy.

[camille1585]

Since I only learned what ppm was about a month ago, I had to calculate it now. I thought that since I got orchid fertilizer, the recommended dosage would be adapted to orchid needs, which isn't. I calculated that it seems to have gotten a bit over 160ppm N (using Ray's calculator) when I gave it 4ml/L of 4-6-6. I fertilized every other watering.
When I first bought it, it started flowering late march/early april, so I was expecting the spikes to appear later than in the fall. I won't toss it, but my mom is getting fed up with taking care of a huge plant that doesn't flower (I'm in the Netherlands for my studies)

[Ray]

I don't think your 160 ppm is so bad, especially if applied at every other watering. In fact it might be too low. I feed at 125 ppm N at every watering, so by comparison, you're at more like 80.

You did bring up a good subject though:

I thought that since I got orchid fertilizer, the recommended dosage would be adapted to orchid needs, which isn't.

Plant-specific fertilizers tend to be tailored in terms of relative nutrient ratios, not application concentration.

As to that, I really believe that the recommended dosages are based upon the supposition that folks will not feed regularly (folks who have plant specialties tend to be better than that), and they're hoping we'll waste more so buy more!

[quiltergal]

My mother lives in the SF Bay Area in California, and she grows Cyms outside year round. Hers face east and get morning sun only. She feeds regularly and really doesn't fuss over them too much. I was there for Christmas and I would say at least half of her plants are sending up multiple spikes. The weather is temperate, with low temps in the high 40s-50s in the winter. Most of hers bloom in the very early spring around March. I think lower temps influence her blooming cycle.

[cupcake]

Hey if it gets too big for you I'll come and collect it