How to grow large-flowered cymbidium (home-growing method)

1. Maintenance methods

1. Light: Large-flowered Cymbidium requires long-term light. However, direct sunlight in summer can cause it to suffer from sunburn, so proper shade is needed. In winter, it should be placed in a sunny place for a long time.

2. Soil: Cymbidium orchids do not have high requirements for soil. Fertile, loose, well-drained acidic soil is preferred. If it is artificially prepared, it is better to use fern roots, mosses, etc. as the growth medium.

3. Watering: Cymbidium has good drought tolerance. Its pseudobulb can store water. If the pseudobulb shriveles and shrinks, it means it is lacking water. In addition to watering in summer, you should also spray water on the leaves, which can effectively reduce the temperature and increase the humidity. During the flowering period, the amount of water needs to be reduced to prevent the flowers from getting sick and developing brown spots.

4. Fertilization: Cymbidium has high requirements for fertilizer. Except for applying less fertilizer or no fertilizer in the seedling stage, a thin layer of fertilizer water can be applied every 10 days during the growing period. Generally, fertilizer should be applied once a week in spring and summer, 2-3 times a month in autumn, and stopped in winter. Fertilizer should be a compound fertilizer with equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and more potassium fertilizer can be applied in autumn.

2. Breeding techniques

Cymbidium is often propagated by division. Division is best done in spring. Take the plant out of the pot and divide it. Keep more than 3 pseudobulbs for each plant. After cutting, dry the wound before planting. Generally, the plant should be divided once every three years. After division, it is suitable to be cultivated in a warm and humid environment, and normal maintenance can be carried out after it has new buds.

3. Pest and disease control

1. Diseases: The main diseases are leaf blight, anthracnose and leaf spot, which can be controlled with carbendazim solution.

2. Pests: Common pests include aphids, red spiders and scale insects, etc., which can be killed by spraying diluted omethoate solution.