Cymbidium orchids
A member of the audience brought in a cymbidium orchid to show Don. She explained that the orchid gets lots of care and attention, but rarely flowers. Don said that the plant looked fairly healthy. However, the leaves were very green, indicating that perhaps the plant was not receiving enough sun.
Growing cymbidiums
Cymbidiums can be grown in all areas of Australia, but in cold areas such as Hobart and the Mountains they need protection in a warm greenhouse. To grow and flower well, cymbidiums need:
Light:
if the leaves on your orchids are lush and green it means that they are not growing in enough light, and they probably won’t flower. They like plenty of light, but need protection from the hot sun, which burns their leaves. A position in filtered light under deciduous trees is ideal.
Orchid mix:
cymbidium orchids will not grow in the ground in ordinary garden soil. They should be potted up using cymbidium compost.
Fertiliser:
buy special orchid fertiliser and follow the directions on the container for recommended rates of application. Different formulations are available to encourage flowering and growth.
Water:
cymbidiums need regular watering during the growing season. In summer, water about every second day, and every day in very hot weather (over 30