Cymbidium Dandy "Santa Barbara"
 

I purchased a cymbidium witha tag, Cymbidium "Santa Barbara (DagxDorma). Does anyone know anything about this orchid? It seems to be pretty healthy and I want to give it proper care.

Thanks

Hi Mulchlady,

For Cym. Dandy Orchidwiz recommends full sun, or may also be tolerant of bright indirect light. 50 - 60 % humidity, do not allow plants to dry out between waterings. Fertilize weakly weekly at 1/4 of regular dose. Cool to intermediate conditions, 14 - 24 degrees at night. (58 -75 degrees). Hope this helps a bit, good luck with your plant.

Hi, There is a Cym. Dandy (Cym. Dag X Cym. Dorama) the originator & registrant was Santa Barber (Santa Barbera Orchid Estates). Should be a Nice cross. Has it bloomed for you yet?

Yes, it was in bloom when I purchased it at an orchid show here in New Jersey. I flowered for a very long time. I only have one new growth on it so far and want to make sure that I give it proper care.

In my reading on general cymbidium care, I see info that says to stop fertilizing when spikes begin to grow in mid-summer and other info that says to continue feeding until late summer with no mention of spikes (maybe it is assumed that spikes are present). So Im' not sure when to stop feeding. Any advice?

Thanks

I usually feed continually thru the summer unless spikes show. A lot of cymbidiums spike in the spring. I feed with a time release fertilizer which I cant stop and supplement with fertilizer application 125 ppm in addition. I would stop the the liquid fertilizer application.

Thank you. Still no spike but there are two new growths. I hope to get it to flower this winter. It seems to be happy and healthy.

Mulch Lady,

Do not be surprised if your plant does not bloom this coming season. It underwent shipping stress and then went into a totally different environment from Santa Barbara.

Keep feeding it dilutely whenever you water with a 20-20-20 fertilizer ALL year long... less often in the winter.

Even when a Cym is in bloom, it is generating or maturing growths. More often than not the reason for a Cym not blooming is because a new growth is not mature enough to send out an inflorescence when the temps and light "send out the message"..

Good Luck,

CL

We can have lots of discussion about fertilizing. Sort of like opinions, everyone has one. I learned to alternate high and low N from the folks at Rod McLellans in the 70's. I still do that and have modified it some to have basically high K along with the low N during the period from late spring/early summer to 6 months later. I am in Hawaii so I can raise the N a bit sooner than the mainland as my temps are not that low. I combine a Water soluble weekly feeding of 250ppm N during the high growth in the spring and lower to 125 in the summer fall. I add Mg and Ca of course either in balanced Michigan type formula or via ammendments. For Time release I add Nutricote 13-13-13 with Micros for Jan to June with 180 time. Then I play with higher K formula time release with added Mg which I buy from Florikan.
Basically try things and see what works for you. I'd say at this point Light is almost as important if not more important than fertilizer as long as the plants get some feeding. I've Got Spikes basically says you can feed a 3-1-5 formulation all year long. I tend to push things here in Hawaii as I don't have a great day night temp differential so my thoughts are to push things a bit with fertilizer.
Most of all, don't get too hung up on whether it blooms every year until the plant is very well established, ie more than 6-8 pseudobulbs, generally 4-5 years from flask.

Bob,

I have always felt that the easier the better for new growers. Actually, if Mulchlady was able to get a fertilizer called Dynamite, essentially the same as Nutricote, and easily available in the box stores like Home Depot, she could apply it as a slow release feed, and then each time she watered, it would fertilize the plant.

That is what I do now and I can't complain too much about my results! :lol:

I know you guys like to make it sound really complicated, and when you are commercial you have to produce to maximum plant ability, :bowing but the bottom line is to JUST FEED the darn things! My concern is if you get too involved for the novice, they may not fertilize at all. :(

CL

Actually that's why I made the comment in my post:
"I'd say at this point Light is almost as important if not more important than fertilizer as long as the plants get some feeding."

I added the other information as I never believe that not having the information to refer to later as you become more knowledgeable is a good thing. So not to intimidate but mere to offer 'Food for Thought' excuse the pun..