Cymbidiums turning yellow - Page 3 - Orchid Board

Des · #21 02-09-2008, 02:11 PM

Whatever you do, do not withhold water , in your part of the world you should be watering every day even twice a day at this time of the year. There are many experienced growers in Oz who stand their plants in a saucer of water at this time of the year to make sure that they do not dry out When I was in Oz about a year ago i tested the quality of the tap water in Melbourne and found it to perfect for orchids , the ph is 7 and the ec 30 microsiemens is this not the case in Perth ? If you phone your local waterworks they should be able to give you this information. Your best bet is to join one of your local orchid clubs where you will learn all about growing these wonderful plants . also purchase the Australian orchid review I think it is one of the most informative mags. in the world I wish I could get it here .

stonedragonfarms · #22 02-09-2008, 03:34 PM

Here are a couple of pics from out in the gh this morning. The first is diagrammed similar to the one you've posted; the second is the entire plant seen from above. If the yellow/green that you are seeing is similar to this, then it is most likely light related. For the record, I grow my Cym. outside May-Early October under a large oak tree. The rest of the year they are under glass with sun full on--I do not use any shading along the south wall of my gh.
Adam

lovemyorchids35 · #23 02-11-2008, 02:47 AM

Hi Adam. I went to Ezi-Grow Orchids here in Perth on the weekend so I could compare with their Cyms, and they also have what mine has. although not as yellow but definately there. I took along my most yellow cymbidium for them to have a look at and the first thing she said was a 'nice looking plant, maybe getting a bit to much light but looks good'. Just what I wanted to hear. They informed me that it is normal and the yellow depends on the amount of light the plant gets.
I am now convinced my cyms are not dying just getting a little too much light.
I have added a piece of shadecloth to the roof of my g/h which now I'm worried they will not have enough light to flower. Time will tell. Its definately more than 50/50. I am currently watering every 2nd day but we have had high temps this week between 36-38c and the humidity is very high with no change coming soon, so I have been watering at night, and...I feed them on Friday.

I am loving my new found hobby and all the learning that comes with it so I appreciate yours and others 2 cents...I would also love to see some photos of your cyms when you have some time.
Take care and thanks again
Kim

lovemyorchids35 · #24 02-11-2008, 02:55 AM

Exactly like mine Adam. Thanks for that. I'm going to go and sit with my orchids in the stinking heat and humidity and admire my beautiful yellow/green orchids.

orchids3 · #25 02-13-2008, 12:46 PM

Des, I see you are in S. Africa. Are cymbidium growing conditions good there? My own conditions are less than Idea and I have to get warm growers due to the high summer heat at night. Some areas in the USA are ideal but not Florida. I like your posts - believe you have grown some good looking plants. Good luck.

Des · #26 02-13-2008, 03:13 PM

Orchids 3- Thanks for the comments. I live in Port Elizabeth It is one of the southernmost towns in Africa. If I look out to sea the next stop is the Antarctic. A sobering thought for those who get themselves into trouble on our coast. PE has an ideal climate for growing Cymbids and a number of other Orchid genera. I grow mainly Cymbids (about 1500) and Catts (about 60). I also have bits and pieces of other genera. Temperatures range from 2 to 20˚C in the winter and 15 to 38 ˚C in the summer.We have periods of high and low humidity in both the winter and summer Depending on wind direction Our Durban growers have a similar situation to yours and they get up to all sorts of tricks to get the Cymbids to flower. Like watering their plants with cold water from the freezer !!! to putting their plant into the fridge for a few nights !!. I cool my water by inserting a number of frozen bottles of water into the feed water tank if the temperature of the water exceeds 23˚C as the dissolved oxygen levels tend to be too low at this temp, fortunately i don' have to do this too often. I would like like to post some pics but I hav'nt fathomed out how to do this yet . I have someone who will show me the procedure this weekend
Kind Regards Des

orchids3 · #27 02-13-2008, 04:08 PM

Not sure this meets the rules for posting but the 19th WOC was 300 miles away so I attended this year. Here are my pictures of that event. WOC 2008 pictures from flowers photos on webshots hope the pictures are enjoyed. Sorry not too many cymbidiums.

Des · #28 02-13-2008, 06:04 PM

Orchids3- thanks for the pics . A very impressive show you must enjoyed going there . Nice to see the Disa Uniflora they grow on the slopes of Table Mountain about 700 kms west of PE I have Disa Canuta which grows wild on an open plot across the way from my house It is also a very pretty, but almost impossible to grow in a pot . I think it has some sort of symbiotic relationship with the fynbos which grows around it.

orchids3 · #29 02-14-2008, 06:56 PM

My references give me Disa Cornuta but that is as close as I can come. (Your post mentions Canuta) Disa's are interesting - or course they are native to your location and references here may not be very good. Certainly colorful and interesting plants. We had a speaker recently who is doing research on symbiotic relationships in an attempt to relocate some of our threatened and endangered orchids to protected areas. Moving plants is not so simple sometimes. We must have the same problem with losing habitats that you do.

Des · #30 02-14-2008, 08:43 PM

Sorry my spelling is incorrect it is Cornuta. I am not a species man but my son is and he has made a study of native terrestrials for the last few years . He has successfully relocated a number of Cornutas and a few Satyriums which are about to be destroyed to make way for a new housing complex . Up until recently you were not allowed to move these plants at all . But now the authorities are turning a blind eye, and we are able to rescue some of these plants . Just digging them out does not help as they don't survive , so we take a 150 mm plastic pipe and screw that into the ground around the plant and take it out in a plug and relocate to a safe area . Unfortunately my son has moved to East London So those that remain are going the way of that big orchid house in the sky, where so many of my orchids live . Yes loss of habitat is a huge problem here and we get the impression that government just does not care about our flora and fauna They have just allowed a developer to cut down two huge Coral trees that are at least 200 years old. Oldies like myself are very angry . But there is very little we can do about it and I have no doubt that more of our ancient trees will go the way of the chain saw all for the sake of making money.