I "overchilled" my cymbidiums..suggestions?
 

Last Fall...I received two very full, overgrown, no named ,cymbidium plants from a friend's estate. I grew them successfully outside on a back porch in half shade/half sun. I know that cymbidiums need to be chilled in order to stimulate bloom...but I may have carried it too far. too long. I let them stay outside for a few days in mid range 30 degree weather..with one night below freezing. It wasnt until after I brought them inside..that I noticed the damage to over half of each pot. I have removed all of the dead debris to find that several of the psuedobulbs are alive and green. I grow predominantly Phals, Paphs,and mini Catts....so my Cym knowledge is lacking. What suggestions does anyone have towards my next approach to get these plants back on track. They are currrently growing in a basement under florescent fixtures. Thank you for your ideas and knowledge.
Glenn

Glenn, can you provide a picture of the two plants? Pictures of the damage would be helpful. Generally speaking, most cymbidium hybrids and species can handle cold temperatures for short periods--even a few degrees below freezing--if they are given some sort of protection (placing them close to a building or beneath an overhanging roof, putting them on some sort of bench so that they aren't in direct contact with the ground, or placing burlap or plastic over them if frost is anticipated, for example).

If your plants were truly damaged from cold exposure, you might want to cut away any damaged bulbs or leaves. Frost-damaged bulbs will turn an ugly brown-to-blackish color and become soft (they will also have something of a nasty smell to them), and rotting bulbs can contract bacterial or fungal infections that can quickly spread to the healthy areas of the plant if they aren't treated. Try to keep the plants relatively cool, especially at night (anywhere that gets to between 40 and 50 at night would be ideal). And if you can put them in an east or south-facing window during the day, that would probably be more beneficial than under the fluorescent lights. Cymbidiums are light lovers, and your average fluorescent light set-up just doesn't generate enough lumens for what most cymbidiums need in order to thrive.

Again, if you can provide a picture or two, that would be helpful. And, lastly, these recommendations are based on my own experiences with cymbidiums. There are a lot of growers on here who are much more experienced than I am with this genus, and hopefully they will be able to provide you with some feedback. Good luck!

Steve

Hi Glenn,

Keep the plants in the basement under lights and essentially let them recover on their own until you can put them outside after all danger of frost is past. Water very sparingly at the base of the bulbs only, or not at all. i.e. keep on the dry side until they can go outside. Do not repot now and do not trim any more foliage. Keep an eye out for rot in the crowns of the green bulbs, however, and treat with cinnamon powder after removing the rotted leaves if necessary. Any rotten bulbs can be taken off with a sterile knife or just split open and again treated with cinnamon powder,

I second the photo posting suggestion. I and others will be able to be more specific. New growths should begin to emerge from some of the bulbs and when these are 6" or taller, about mid summer, it will be time to repot.

Good Luck,

CL

What would you say was overchilled? Was this one overchilled?http://thumb15.webshots.net/t/66/566...5rGeWxx_th.jpg Cold can cause browing of leaves and damage but unless it really froze hard I would look for additional causes. The plant in the picture was shown at my next society meeting and was the best cymbidium on the table (Notice that it was the only cymbidium on thetable)http://thumb15.webshots.net/t/52/752...5MwNETM_th.jpg

When I lived on the coast of CA I had maybe 2 or 3 times when the temps got so low I had damage on my cyms (below 28 degrees I think was the bottom line for Standards I had). I had some foliage die back, and like you thought it was bad. But sure enough in the spring I had nice new growth. I'd remove any clearly dead leaves that come off easily in your hand without trimming. Then in the spring, around March to April or May depending on where you live, I'd look into repotting and seeing what sprouted. Remove old back bulbs that are extra but seem firm and put those in a ziplock with moist bark and see if they sprout. Handle the green and sprouting bulbs as divisions and repot those. Within two years you won't even know anything had happened.
Next time be sure to tune into the weather and take precautions. I used to pull my plants up against my house for warmth and then cover with space blankets.