How to bloom a cymbidium

[Paul Mc]

Ok, so a year and a half ago I got a Cymbidium Rosanna (Alexanderi x Kittiwake). I repotted it in a clay pot that was about an inch bigger or so than the plastic it came in. I know since it was so root-bound that I ended up severly damaging some of the roots. After having repotted it, there was immediately some new growth.

I have watered it probably once a week and gave it some slow release fertilizer every 2 months or so. But I still have yet to see any blooms. There are two new growths of leaves emerging (about 3 or 4 inches high now), but no blooms.

I understand that to have blooms they need to feel the temperature differential of night and day, so I left it out until the night temperatures reached the lower 40's during the fall. It is now in my basement grow area under 2 t8's (2 to 3 feet away depending where you measure from - top of leaves or top of pot). I have reduced the watering to about every 2 weeks or when the medium is fairly dry for it's winter rest.

Being new to cymbidiums and after having read quite a bit on here, I'm still not sure why I have not gotten blooms this year. Any advice would be greatly appreciated guys!