"Pam Moore" wrote

Bob mentioned cymbidiums standing in water.
Is this the right treatment to get them to flower?
I've had one which has not flowered for at least 15 years.
Last year it was so big that I split it into 5 and kept one.
The guy who runs the Writhlington School Orchid Project said that they
need to stand in water, outside, in summer.
Does it work?I've always understood that orchids generally should not
stand in water but I'm trying the wet treatment. Not difficult this
weather!


I would not let them stand in water, but if that guy says it's OK then it
must be, he is an expert and has done an excellent job at that school
inspiring the kids.
What I have found is they like a lot of feed, much more than the books say
for orchids usually and a feed or two of Tomato feed late in the summer
might also help flowering. They also need a cold spell, but not frost, to
initiate flowering. I leave ours outside until frost is forecast, it's been
as late as November, so they get lots of cool/cold nights and then bring
them into a frost free but cool place (unheated garage with a twin walled
plastic roof) for the winter. Flower spikes are usually initiated early in
the new year and are easy to break off at first, I speak from experience.
:-(
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK