Here are our recommendations for cymbidium care:
Light: We use 60% shade cloth allowing 40% full sun year-round with excellent results.
Temperature: Cool nights (50–57°F / 10–14°C) and daytime temperatures around 75°F (23.8°C) are critical for flowering. Our temperatures in southern California naturally follow this pattern, and so no temperature control outdoors is required. The key is a drop in temperature of at least 25 degrees day-to-night in order to initiate flowering.
Potting Media: We use Redwood Gorilla Hair and Perlite #3 at a 4/1 ratio. This mix provides an optimum pH for nutrient uptake and outlasts the growth of the plant. Plants are ready for up-potting to a bigger pot before the mix has a chance to break down.
Water: We keep potting media evenly moist year-round. This requires watering 1-2 times per week most of the year. Less watering is required during the fall and winter as the plants maintain their moisture for a longer period. For clean leaf growth, it is important not to let the root mass go completely dry at any time.
Fertilizer: We use Nutricote 13-11-11 (270) time release fertilizer with very good results. This fertilizer provides all necessary macro and micronutrients over a 270 day (9 month) period. We apply this fertilizer once in February and it lasts the entire year, releasing the necessary nutrients with each watering. It is not necessary to feed during winter.
Frost Protection: While cymbidiums can tolerate light frosts, we use misters during freezing temperatures to protect the plants from frost. Protecting them with frost cloth is also an option, especially if the temps are going to drop below 28 degrees.
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