HOW TO GROW IT — The culture for cymbidiums is broadly the same 
as for every other orchid. The physiological cycle is new growth, maturation 
during growth and after growth, florescence and finally rest. The first stage 
is new growth. As soon as new growth appears, or even before, root activity 
has started in the roots from those bulbs having live roots. The tips grow, 
lateral roots form from the old roots, and new roots may grow from the last 
made bulb. At this time the new lead has no roots of its own but the plant 
is in active growth. The new lead is drawing on the leaved back-bulbs, and 
this energy withdrawn is being replaced by the growing roots and photo- 
synthesizing leaves of these bulbs. This energy requires nutrients. Nutrients 
can only be assimilated in solution, and the solvent is water. So, as soon as 
new growth appears, begin to water, gradually at first, and as the root action 
increases, proportionately increase the watering until finally the plant is kept 
almost continuously damp but never continuously wet. Continue this water- 
ing until the bulb is fully made up and after, while the warm weather lasts, 
to store the food into the bulb and develop the spike if it is going to flower. 
Often it will make autumn new growth if the weather is warm, so get 
this growth advanced, for it will stand still, or relatively still, in the inter and 
start to re-grow in the spring. While the weather is warm, even in November, 
the roots are active and some growth occurring. In the winter, avoid the 
compost being continuously wet, as you will rot out the roots, and in the 
spring the plant starts far, far behind schedule. Do not water at all, or only 
if you notice the bulbs shrivelling and know that the roots are sound. Be 
sure of this latter, because shrivelling more often occurs from the loss of a 
root system than from dryness. The flower spike, if the bulb is flowering, will 
not require that the plant be excessively watered during winter; in fact, this 
would harm it. The roots may rot and the bulbs (being quite exhausted after 
the spike is finished) shrivel badly because the exhausted food reserves can- 
not be replaced by the root system. 
THE NEXT STAGE IS FLORESCENCE — Every adult established 
plant that has been well grown, under conditions that insure adequate matur- 
ation for at least two years, can and should flower. If it doesn’t, then we 
must seek the reason why. 
If, first we consider the factors which contribute to florescence, it may 
be possible to find the source of non-flowering. 
(1) The bulb which is to produce the flower must be reasonably ma- 
ture and healthy. A well grown plant can readily produce such a 
bulb in one growing season — spring through summer. 
(2) An adequate light intensity is necessary in order that the flowering 
bulb can manufacture and store the necessary food resources re- 
quired for reproduction. 
(3) A sufficient amount of coolness in the period of initiation (late 
summer) and (early fall) seems to be essential. 
CAUSES OF NON-FLORESCENCE — Not all crosses flower with equal 
ease. Some are so difficult to flower that they should not be grown by the 
amateur. In the following discussion it is assumed that the plant in question 
has a known ability to flower. 
SoH 
