Cymbidium orchids cannot be grown in the ground, they'll grow but they'll never flower. So they must be grown in pots. These long stemmed orchids are one of the most common gifts during the colder weather. Flower spikes usually stay in flower about six or seven weeks if left on the plant, and if cut for a vase it’s generally the same - this makes them one of the most long lived orchids.
Many believe these orchids are difficult to grow. They look so delicate and sometimes it is hard to get them to flower again the following year. But follow these basic rules and they'll grow well. They need good light to flower again, often they are kept in too much shade, this impedes the flower spike production. So keep them in the shade during summer and move them into full sun in autumn. They also need good, even watering so they are not too wet, and won’t dry out.
They also need potting on, use a large size orchid bark to allow air to get into the roots. When repotting don’t tease out the roots of the orchid just loosen them a little and prune off brown roots allowing fresh white thick fleshy roots to grow. The great temptation among home gardeners is to divide orchids but if you leave them as big plants and let them grow into the larger pot space you will get more dramatic plants with a better flower display. It takes at least two or three seasons before it’s time to re-pot into the next sized container.
Use an orchid feed at least twice a year - Strikeback for Orchids is highly recommened. Orchids also like a little dolomite lime. During spring and early summer supplement this with some liquid fertiliser as a top up during the growing period.
Troubleshooting: These plants are generally pest free. However problems can include red spider and scale. Treat these with white oil, but not in summer, because it will cook the foliage. Black spots on the leaves is a syption of wet conditions, in this case trum off leaves and let the pot dry out.
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