How to Grow Cymbidium faberi? Master These Care Essentials

      

     To grow Cymbidium faberi well, you should first "know its nature." Understanding the habits of Cymbidium faberi is of great guiding significance for growing it well. The main habits of Cymbidium faberi are as follows:

    First, Cymbidium faberi prefers fertile, deep growing media. Second, the pseudobulbs of Cymbidium faberi are not obvious, and growth basically relies on the roots to absorb nutrients from the growing medium. Third, the growth cycle of Cymbidium faberi is longer than that of other orchid varieties, and not all growth can be completed in a single growing season. Fourth, in its native environment, the roots of Cymbidium faberi grow in humus soil 20 to 30 cm underground, and under such soil conditions Cymbidium faberi tillers very easily. Fifth, the leaves of Cymbidium faberi have transparent veins and can accept short periods of strong light, having sun-loving characteristics. Sixth, Cymbidium faberi leaves have many vascular bundles, are dense, and the leaves are leathery and firm. It has relatively low requirements for air humidity, is drought-tolerant, and has strong resistance to waterlogging. Seventh, Cymbidium faberi natively grows in high-altitude mountain areas, which objectively requires good ventilation and a certain temperature difference.

    Starting from the above characteristics, the key points for growing Cymbidium faberi well can be roughly summarized in 6 aspects: airy medium, rich in nutrients, repot rarely, plant suitably deep, see more sun, and provide good ventilation.

    ① Airy medium. From the characteristic that Cymbidium faberi prefers fertile, deep growing media, growing Cymbidium faberi requires effort to make the growing medium loose and airy. To grow roots well, the growing medium is key. Nowadays orchid growing mostly follows the route of granular growing media, and the problems of air permeability and water drainage can basically be solved, but for Cymbidium faberi it must be emphasized even more that the growing medium should be coarser than that for other orchid types. Below is the growing medium formula the author uses for Cymbidium faberi for everyone's reference:

    Formula One: 60% Sendai soil, 20% Kanuma soil, 10% fired clay soil (maifanite can also be used, which has the effect of preserving and enhancing variegation in variegated plants), 10% tree fern (willow bark).

    Formula Two: 80% Lanzhiyou growing medium, 20% Sendai soil.

    All the above growing media should be coarser than those for other orchid types. Before use, sift to remove powder, soak and wash clean, sterilize, and set aside.

    ② Rich in nutrients. From the characteristics that Cymbidium faberi pseudobulbs are not obvious, growth basically relies on the roots to absorb nutrients from the growing medium, and its roots are thick and long with tall plants, growing Cymbidium faberi should be given more fertilizer than other orchids. Reflected in the growing medium, this means the proportion of Sendai soil should preferably be larger. But this does not mean it must be so regardless of whether the plants are strong or weak; it should be handled flexibly according to the condition of the seedlings. For stronger seedlings, the proportion of Sendai soil can be increased. Before use, the entire prepared growing medium can be soaked in rice-washing water for about 10 days, then dried and set aside. For weaker seedlings, clean cultivation should still be the main approach, and increasing the proportion of stone-type growing media is the best policy. Cymbidium faberi leaves are firm, thick, and hard, so fertilizer application should emphasize phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

    ③ Repot rarely. From the point that Cymbidium faberi has a longer growth cycle and not all growth can be completed in a single growing season, Cymbidium faberi should be repotted rarely after planting. The leaves of Cymbidium faberi sometimes still push out central leaves after two or three years, which shows that Cymbidium faberi has a longer growth cycle. For Cymbidium faberi to settle into the pot, grow roots, increase shoots, become strong, and bloom, it often takes several years to four or five years.

    ☞ An expert says this: Cymbidium faberi should be repotted rarely, which is to let Cymbidium faberi strengthen and grow stronger in a stable growing environment. Practice has proven that Cymbidium faberi does not need repotting for two or three years after potting, and like a wild horse, it sends out shoots unstoppably, with a quite considerable shoot production rate.

    ④ Plant suitably deep. From the characteristics that Cymbidium faberi pseudobulbs are not obvious, its roots are thick and long, and the plants are tall, Cymbidium faberi is suitable for deep planting and prefers a large pot. Cymbidium faberi tillering mostly occurs from the base of the pseudobulb, which is the result of Cymbidium faberi adapting to its environment over long-term evolution. Deep planting is beneficial for strong seedlings. In its original ecology, the roots of Cymbidium faberi grow in humus soil 20 to 30 cm underground, with roots spreading in all directions, while under artificial cultivation conditions the roots are confined within the orchid pot. In order to strengthen and make the orchid seedlings stronger, appropriately larger orchid pots should be chosen as much as possible according to the condition of the plants, to meet the needs of root growth.

  ⑤ See more sun. From the characteristic that Cymbidium faberi leaves have transparent veins and can accept short periods of strong light, Cymbidium faberi should see more sunlight. Cymbidium faberi's native habitat is at high altitude with few trees and long sunlight exposure, so under artificial cultivation the light intensity should be stronger than for other orchids.

    ☞ An expert says this: In cultivating Cymbidium faberi, throughout the four seasons, only in summer should appropriate shading be provided according to weather conditions; in the other three seasons it can be left open to receive sunlight. But if leaf tip scorching occurs or old plants are about to collapse, then the light is too strong and shading must be increased. Seeing more sunlight can strengthen the plants and promote root growth; orchid leaves become broad, veins thick, leaves shorter, and flowering more abundant. With weak light, Cymbidium faberi will develop poorly. With suitable light, the plants grow green and vibrant.

    ⑥ Provide good ventilation. From the point that Cymbidium faberi's native habitat is mostly in high-altitude mountain areas, which objectively requires good ventilation and a certain temperature difference, growing Cymbidium faberi should pay even more attention to ventilation than other orchid types. The ancients said: ventilation is the first essential of orchid growing. This saying is even more appropriate for Cymbidium faberi. Cymbidium faberi leaves are tightly clustered, leathery, firm, with little flesh, relatively low requirements for air humidity, drought-tolerant, and strongly resistant to waterlogging, making it more suitable for balcony growing, and in spring, summer, and autumn the balcony windows should preferably be fully opened. Practice has shown that in a closed environment, Cymbidium faberi grows poorly, and some even die due to lack of air circulation; with good ventilation, Cymbidium faberi grows well.

In addition, Cymbidium faberi needs a larger temperature difference to store nutrients. Temperature difference is also very directly related to ventilation. Adapt to local conditions and create conditions as much as possible to increase the temperature difference, which is greatly beneficial for strengthening Cymbidium faberi seedlings.

    Things are universally connected, and these six aspects are also causally related. Airy medium and rich nutrients are the foundation of cultivation, repotting rarely and planting suitably deep are internal requirements, while the external conditions are seeing more sun and providing good ventilation. Grasp the foundation, balance both inside and outside, and I believe Cymbidium faberi will surely settle into the pot, grow roots, increase shoots, and become strong as one wishes, and then bloom.