Repotting My Cymbidium Orchids
It’s finally feeling like autumn here in the Northeast with temperatures expected in the mid-50s all this week. My outdoor grounds crew is busy moving all the tropical plants back into the heated greenhouses where they will spend the cold, winter months. My head gardener, Ryan McCallister, is also busy repotting many of my precious potted specimens, including my growing collection of cymbidium orchids.
Cymbidium, or boat orchid, is a genus of more than 50-evergreen species in the orchid family Orchidaceae. Cymbidium orchids are prized for their long-lasting sprays of flowers, used especially as cut flowers or spring corsages. Recently, I decided it was time to divide and repot my cymbidiums - a process that's usually done every two to three years, when the plant is very pot bound or its medium no longer drains properly.
Here are some photos - enjoy.
-
- I have many cymbidium orchids that need repotting before being stored for the winter. I also thought I would give some of them away to friends. These cymbidiums have definitely outgrown their pots. Ryan took them all out before repotting.
-
- When removing a cymbidium, do not disturb the root ball. Ryan also removes as much of the old potting medium as possible.
-
- Here are some of my cymbidiums ready for repotting. Potting can be done any time of the year after blooming without harming the plant. The larger the plant the more spikes are usually produced.
-
- Ryan moved all of them to the hoop house where they will be stored for the season and repotted them there for ease.
-
- Ryan also uses this time to divide the cymbidiums into separate pots. The best type of pot to use for a cymbidium orchid is a clay pot because water evaporates from clay pots faster.
-
- Ryan places the plant in the pot to ensure it is the right size – only go up one size when repotting as cymbidiums bloom best when a little pot bound.
-
- Ryan also trims any dead or damaged leaves.
-
- As with all potted plants, it is important to have proper drainage holes in the pot. I always cover them with a shard, so none of the potting mix falls out.
-
- Ryan covers the bottom of the pot with the appropriate orchid potting mix.
-
- Use a water-retentive potting mix. A medium-grade fir bark with peat moss and perlite is a common mixture.
-
- Ryan pots up another cymbidium. This is a perfect sized pot for this specimen – it will allow the pseudobulbs to grow for another two years before crowding its container.
-
- The potting mix should be about one-inch below the top of the pot, so none of it overflows when watering.
-
- Ryan gently presses the medium into the pot to ensure it is well packed, adding more potting mix if needed.
-
- A cymbidium orchid should be watered in the morning using tepid water. This will give the orchid adequate time to dry before the lower night temperature sets in. While the orchid is in active growth, keep it in slightly damp conditions but never let the medium become soggy.
-
- Cymbidiums need medium to bright light intensity in order to thrive, and do best with as much light as possible. If your cymbidium is receiving the optimal amount of light the leaves will be an apple green rather than dark green. If they are dark green, it may mean they aren’t getting enough sunlight to feed the rhizomes, which eventually produce the blooms.
-
- Ryan moves onto the next cymbidium ready to be divided and repotted.
-
- The best place to grow cymbidium orchids indoors in on an east facing windowsill, although a shaded south facing window will also work.
-
- During the summer and fall, day temperatures should be between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
- Once repotted, Ryan places them on one of the long shelves we created using wood planks made right here at the farm.
-
- And come winter, when they bloom, they will explode with lovely sprays of flowers – each plant can have up to 15 or more flowers. Here are some of my cymbidium blooms from last February.
-
- Here is another cymbidium in pinkish-yellow. The fantastic range of colors for this genus include white, green, yellowish-green, cream, yellow, brown, pink, red and black with a variety of markings of other color shades – every color but blue. The flowers last about 10-weeks. I can’t wait to see them flower again. What cymbidiums do you have in your collection?
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
