My friends used to live in a harbor area and grew the most gorgeous Cymbidiums
on their boat dock. And, if you live on the ocean you will get drenched with
salty air droplets from time to time; therefore, I am under the assumption that
some salty air and drenching will not kill the cymbidiums. Perhaps, you need to
drench these from time to time with fresh water.

.. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html

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H Playel wrote:

"Damage Control" skrev i meddelandet
m...
Has anyone heard of misting or watering cymbidiums with sea water? I
was told that cymbidiums are somewhat coastal, getting "salt air"
accompanied by the occasional typhoon and need periodic treatment of
"salty water" to maintain their vigor inland. I know that they can be
grown in the gulf states and California as outdoor plants, and as I've
seen, are absolutely gorgeous.

I haven't been able to verify the information, and wondered if anyone
in the group had heard of it, tried it, what concentration, and to
what success.

Any input would be appreciated.

No Cymbidium have ever thrived in my hands, so I can't say I have the
slightest idea what to do with them, but at least I can give some input on
using salt!

This spring I sprayed sal****er on a Tolumnia which had refused to bloom for
several years. I can't say if it was the spraying that did it, but it spiked
shortly after I begun the treatment. It has now stopped flowering, and the
plant is as healthy as ever. The man that recommended this treatment has a
great deal of experience with orchids, and said that Tolumnias in the wild
(where he had seen them) often were covered with a layer of dried salt, from
the salty winds from the sea.
I will continue to spray my Tolumnia with salt water now and then,
especially when the new growth has matured.
I have also contemplated spraying an equally stubborn Brassavola nodosa. I
have several divisions of that plant, so I'll know for sure if it is the
salt that does it, or if I just lucked out with the Tolumnia.

//H