Cyms ending blooming, now what?

[Cym Ladye]

These appear to all be new growths, which is good for the plant if it just recently finished blooming. What are your day/night high/lows? If your temperatures are not going below freezing, keep the plants outside in the sunniest area (short of burning the leaves) you have for the winter. Rain is good! Bringing them in and out totally confuses them. Cymbidiums are not "Hot house petunias"!

CL

[Orquiadicto]

Originally Posted by Cym Ladye

These appear to all be new growths, which is good for the plant if it just recently finished blooming. What are your day/night high/lows? If your temperatures are not going below freezing, keep the plants outside in the sunniest area (short of burning the leaves) you have for the winter. Rain is good! Bringing them in and out totally confuses them. Cymbidiums are not "Hot house petunias"!

CL

Our day hights are approx. 55-60, the night lows about 40-45. They are always outside, but under roof. Soon I'll be moving from my apartment to a house with garden, where I'll be able to put them outside under a tree. I'll just have to check where the shadow is on the hottest hours (though the sun isn't that hot anymore to cause sunburn). Won't the roots rot if the medium is wet all the time due to rain?
What fertilizer should I use right now? I'm thinking on getting some Growmore 30-10-10 and in late summer, or autumn change to 6-30-30. I hope I'll get a lot of new growths which would mean that perhaps I'll also get a lot of spikes.

[Cym Ladye]

Do not worry about winter rain if they can get sun. They will not burn in the winter. Mine are outside all winter long and thrive.

Skip the fertilizing for now or, if they are in the rain, give them a measure of a slow release 12-12-12 if it makes you feel better. I do not generally fertilize during our cold wet winter, but start again when the weather warms up.

CL

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by Orquiadicto

Won't the roots rot if the medium is wet all the time due to rain?

Like Cym Ladye, my Cyms are also out in the rain, and that can sometimes be a lot of rain fairly often, and unless the pots are standing in water, haven't had any problems.

I believe (tho could be mistaken), that slow release fertilizer isn't usable to the plants at temps under 70F. Mine get some of this type in spring, and seem to do fine with no fertilizer in winter.