My Cymbidium is spiking, now what?

[orchids3]

I have found that keeping cymbidiums outside is best if at all possible. I have put spiking cyms inside in a warm room - Bud drop (blast) was certain. If you must put them inside, put them in as cool a place as possible - 60F or less preferred with air flow. I actually took this cymbidium to my society for show after this picture 007 pictures from friends & fun photos on webshots I took the picture after some of the icycles had melted. If you do keep cyms outside below freezing (and I dont recomend it) have a mist of water directed at the plant, It will keep the plant healthy if it doesnt go much below freezing, even if ice forms.

[camille1585]

My sister had brought the plant inside mid october and stuck it on the landing by a sunny window. Temps were around 15°C. But in the last few weeks the weather has considerably warmed up and the temp has been around 20C in that spot. And as a result the buds are starting to blast. Would moving it outside again (15°C during the day, 7-8C at night) help at all, or would the temp change just make everything blast?

[camille1585]

Normally I don't bump my threads but someone please please I don't want more buds to blast!

[WhiteRabbit]

Dang - sorry to hear that Camille. Wish I could answer the question, but I don't know. Hopefully someone will be able to advise you.

[Bobfharris]

My experience is that once the buds start to go, at best you can only save a few. It really becomes an exercise in 'Dang, have to wait another year' sort of like when you bump up against the spike before it opens and find that it broke off. More than once I've lost a year on some cymbidium.
Solution: Buy more orchids.

Sad to say...

[orchids3]

Bob,
Have said bad words to myself for breaking spikes more than once. The spike protectors that Des once spoke of sure do help. (Piece of 1" PVC cut into 6 to 8 inch strips with a section for pushing into the pot) They train the spikes as well as protect them.
Camile, putting the plant back into a cools place will save part of the buds if they have not turned yellow or brown yet. Have had a few spikes blast here - because we had a cool period when a lot of spikes began to show followed by a long warm stretch with temps into the 90's. The high temps were the culprit in my situation.

[Bobfharris]

Harry
Thanks for chiming in.. RE Spike pipes as per Des, I thought about using them next year but most of the spikes that come out sideway are on pots so full of backbulbs that you cannot get anything into the pot. I've been using Cymbi Yo Yo's this year and just training the spikes upward with tension and so far that's been the best solution for me. You can get them with the option of a slot for a stick so if you don't have overhead wires to attach them you can put them on a stick. These have worked well for me. I have so many larger cymbidium pots that the pipe would be much more time consuming. Still I break a few spikes here and there just moving the plants and not seeing them. Tis the lot of a cymbidium grower. Just patience.