Thank you for the replies, Weng and Kenni.

As both spikes developed at the same time and grew at the same speed, but
only one died, it is hard for me to work out what went wrong - so many
possible reasons, it seems. However, I had been rotating the plant
regularly to maximise light all round, so perhaps the one that died was
towards the window glass during a period when the temperature dropped or
rose too rapidly. If the plant produces spikes next season, I think I shall
move it towards the centre of the conservatory where the temperature is
probably less likely to fluctuate so much.

Thanks again
Kate

"Kenni Judd" wrote in message
. ..
I was hoping someone who knew more about Cyms than I do would answer you.
The vast majority of them are cool-growing, and my climate won't support
that, so I handle very few of them, and the warm-growing types don't behave
exactly like their cooler cousins anyway ...

But to avoid leaving you hanging altogether, I can say that the "turning
yellow and buds dropping" is something we call "bud blast" and it has so
many causes, it's very hard to narrow down. The possible causes include
over-watering, under-watering, rapid fluctuations in either temp or
humidity, insects (thrips), etc., etc. Since your second spike prospered,
my _guess_ would be that you had over-watered a bit, but corrected in time
to save that one. Your theory about the plant not being able to support 2
spikes may also have some validity, esp. if you have been skimpy on
fertilizing. FWIW, Kenni

"Kate" wrote in message
...
I have a cymbidium which I bought from a garden centre last year, so
variety
unknown. When bought, it had a flower spike and after it had finished
flowering, I fed and watered it, a new pseudobulb developed and then
produced two new flower spikes. As this was the first time I had ever
been
able to get a cymbidium to flower again, I watched them grow with keen
anticipation, but, to my disappointment, one of them turned yellow and
the
buds dropped off, although they were well-developed by then. Now, it had
been rather cold so I reduced the watering/feeding to every 3 weeks,
rather
than weekly, so I wondered if the plant couldn`t support two spikes and
"switched off" one? Or could there be another, more sinister, cause,
please? Incidentally, as soon as I cut the dying spike off, the healthy
one
fairly galloped ahead and is now looking lovely.

Thanks
Kate