Bloom PLEASE BLOOM!!! - Orchid Board

Rhiannon · #1 01-09-2009, 04:34 PM

I have 2 Cym's that I've never seen bloom. I got them from my Significant Other who got them from his sister. Who rescued them from their grandmother's house about a year after she passed.
They're healthy and seem to be thriving as far as I can tell.
Does anyone have any suggestions that would help these them bloom.
I've found that begging doesn't seem to help with them..
Thank you!

WhiteRabbit · #2 01-09-2009, 04:39 PM

where do you keep them?
cyms need lots of light - in Santa Cruz they would love being outside year round - either in dappled light all day - or full sun maybe half the day.
I am in San Jose and mine get full sun til just after noon.
Since you say the plants seem to be doing well and just not blooming my guess is they want more light.

Rhiannon · #3 01-09-2009, 05:25 PM

Right now they live at my office. We have 'sky ports' that allow lots of natural sunlight in with out having direct sunlight.
Also, I'm worried about watering. I have a moisture meter and it's always telling me that their mixture is too dry. I don't want to let them stand in water. So what else should I do?

ronaldhanko · #4 01-09-2009, 06:38 PM

There is probably not enough light in your office. They should be watered heavily every day during the growing season, year around if you are in a warmer climate. They like lots of fertilizer too. I use a slow release fertilizer on the top of the mix and give them a light dose with every watering during the spring and summer. If you are going to keep them in the office they should be taken to a sink and watered until the water runs freely out of the bottom of the pots. They also like to be left outdoors until it gets down around 40-45 - that helps them bloom. All of which adds up the fact that you are probably not going to get them to bloom in your office. There are some new "teacup" Cymbidiums that bloom more readily without the temperature differential (Santa Barbara has them), but I would suspect that yours are older plants.

cb977 · #5 01-09-2009, 08:22 PM

I had a bunch of Cyms that I inherited from a dear friend and none of them seemed to do much of anything until I put them outside in the full sun and left them out there on our chilliest nights!

Three of them are now in multiple spike and I'm waiting for the buds to burst!

stonedragonfarms · #6 01-10-2009, 12:38 AM

I agree with the cultural notes above, just make sure that you gradually acclimate them to being outside--if you put them in full-on sun at this point, you will probably burn the leaves or lose them. Even here in the Midwest when I move mine from the gh to the great outdoors for the summer I have to acclimate. If you have a tree in your yard to put them under for a week or two that should suffice, you can just move them a bit closer to the edge of the canopy every few days.
Keep us posted!
Adam

ronaldhanko · #7 01-10-2009, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonedragonfarms

I agree with the cultural notes above, just make sure that you gradually acclimate them to being outside--if you put them in full-on sun at this point, you will probably burn the leaves or lose them. Even here in the Midwest when I move mine from the gh to the great outdoors for the summer I have to acclimate. If you have a tree in your yard to put them under for a week or two that should suffice, you can just move them a bit closer to the edge of the canopy every few days.
Keep us posted!
Adam

Excellent point!