Caring for Cymbidiums in Canada

Two weeks ago, I bought two regular sized (aka GIANT) cymbidium orchids.  They are about over one metre tall!  I have since returned my pink one because two was too much to care for.

Pretty huh?

So anyway, two weeks ago I rushed home with my new goodies, and eagerly searched online for best care practices...That was when I realized why cymbidiums aren't usually available for sale where I live.  They are quite finicky!

Temperature (Tricky in Canada!)

The mini versions are usually more heat welcoming, but normal cymbidiums need a large variation in temperature in order to bloom.  That is why they are best grown in hot yet cool climates like California, where they can be left outside all year round.  They can thrive in up to 27 C degree weather in the day (partially shaded) and 5 C degrees the evenings (bring them inside just before the first frost).  

However, in dear old Canada, we cannot leave these large plants outside because of winter, which often reaches -30 C degrees! And, since our house has a thermostat that controls the temperature, it is unlikely that inside temperature will fall between 5 and 10 C degrees to induce these guys to bloom late winter.  In the day, winters are often cloudy and so the orchid may not receive enough of the high light it needs.

Such a shame...I am hoping the plant acclimatizes and blooms anyway for me!  I was afraid that the second spike would suffer from bud blast and I read was bound to happen in moderate temperatures when the plant was used to a colder climate, but I suffered no losses and it bloomed beautifully!  Here's hoping it does the same next year.

Watering Your Cymbidium

Now watering is another issues entirely because it is so heavy and huge.  I have to bring it upstairs and water it in the jacuzzi.  Watering varies - I read that winter is once every week to two weeks, and summer outside is every couple days.  basically, the soil should be moist when watering and not drying out completely.  So far I have been draining it in water in the tub every week because that is when I water all my other phaleanopsis, but I think that may be too often because I have noticed that some of the surface roots have gotten mushy.  Plus with the leaves splaying everywhere and my water spout that cannot reach every far, water tends to splash everywhere!

It is definitely more work to care for a cymbidium than a phalenopsis, but I am embracing the challenge and am excited to have branched out to a different species of orchid other than the phaleanopsis hybrids.  Can't wait to leave it on the front porch to soak up the sun this summer!