"Cymbidiums," says Cadwalader, "are the easiest orchids for a homeowner to bloom successfully if you don't have a greenhouse or an extensive set of grow-lights. And besides, you can put them outside all summer, which makes them easier to handle."
Your two biggest challenges in growing orchids in the house will be lack of humidity and too little light. To compensate for the dearth of humidity, Cadwalader groups her cymbidiums together and mists them whenever possible when they're not in bloom. Cool water can damage the blooms.
In winter, the plants sit as close to the living room windows as possible.
From the end of April until late November, she puts them out on their terrace in full sunlight. Temperatures below 35 in fall are essential for the production of bloom spikes on cymbidiums. "They can apparently tolerate temperatures as low as 28 degrees," says Cadwalader, "but I don't want to take any risks, so I usually bring them back into the house at the end of November, or earlier if very cold weather is forecast."
Many orchids are epiphytes, hanging in trees in their native habitat. Cymbidiums are ground or terrestrial orchids and require a slightly heavier type of bark mixture for potting, as well as more water. Cadwalader waters hers once a week in winter and allows normal rainfall to take care of her duties in summer, unless there's a drought.
From December to June, she adds a 30-10-10 fertilizer with each watering;
from June to December, she uses a bloom-booster fertilizer once every 10 to 14 days with an analysis of 10-30-20.
The roots of many plants rot if you let them sit in water, but it's important to water thoroughly when you do. Cadwalader uses a gallon milk jug as her watering can, making it easy to measure the fertilizer. She gives each 10- or 12-inch pot a full gallon and then lets it drain from the bottom of the pot before replacing the pot on its saucer.
