On 25/10/2014 22:53, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Spider" wrote

Pam Moore wrote:
"Bob Hobden" wrote:

"Pam Moore" wrote ...

Spider wrote:

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Pam Moore" wrote
(SNIPPED)
I followed Bob's advice last year and my three Cymbidiums flowered
for
the first time in approx. 3yrs. Gosh, Pam, you've got some patience!

Thanks Bob and Spider.
Will follow good advice! I don't like being beaten and while the plant
thrives I'll battle on and hope for flowers!


Some Cymbids are notorious for not flowering well but usually if you
get
them to flower once they continue from there IME, probably because
you have
worked out how to make it happen. I think the problem is our short
growing
season where the new pseudobulbs don't get to full size in a season and
certainly don't mature enough to throw up a spike so you get
flowering every
few years instead of annually.
As well as a couple of the normal small/medium sized ones I have
three full
sized Cymbids (flower spikes get to about 5ft or more with large
flowers)
and they are a right pain to get a decent flowering, two did last
year, but
like you I refuse to be beaten.

Wow Bob. Yours sound impressive!
Spider, I liked your story of your determination too!


Thank you. To look at it now you'd never believe it was at death's door.


I would add that I have one of my 5 phals in flower and 3 more with
flower stems coming so I have them sussed!


Oooh! Good. That means you've got at least 8 phals. Makes me feel
slightly less obsessive. I think Phals are great value. For the same
price, you'd never get cut flowers to bloom so long .. *and* reflower
again. It's just a shame most phals have no scent.


If you want scent from your orchids get one of the large flowered
Cattleyas ( everyones idea of an orchid flower), a Coelogyne, or better
still a Zygopetalum.



I've got a small Cattleya which may reflower soon. I've never had a
Coelogyne, nor seen one for sale. I managed to kill my Zygopetalum and
haven't seen one for sale since. One of my Cymbidiums (a yellow one, I
think) has a lovely scent, so I hope it's going to flower soon. I love
Burrageana(sp?)'Nelly Isler'; it has a scent of lemon and ginger.
Again, waiting for that to flower.

Because I am somewhat obsessive and have two window shelves groaning
with orchids:~), I've been told "no more orchids" for the time being:~((.

Although they don't usually have scent, I *love* the Cambria types,
especially the dark reds with yellow margins. Gorgeous, and they
reflower well for me.
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay