Question
I have 15 large cymbidiums in several colors.  I live in zone 7A.  I put the cyms out in the summer to get morning sun.  I fertilize faithfully, water with osmosis water, spray for spider mites.  I always have lots of new growth, but no bloom the past two years.  I have just brought them into my sun porch where the temp is about 60 in the day and 50 at night.  Is there ant thing else I can do to encourage them to bloom?
My mother grew these plants in plain dirt in pots in Calif.  I have them in a bark-promix-perlite mix which is very porous.   Any help is appreciated!

Answer
Hello Anne,

I apologize for taking so long to respond to your questions.  Tried to respond yesterday but had computer problems which hopefully have been fixed.  

Living in zone 7A, your winters can be fairly cold so bringing in your cymbidiums is a good idea although it is probably a little early with night temperatures still around 50.  I would suggest leaving them outdoors until night temperatures get down into the mid 40's, especially if the day temps. are in the 60's.  Most large cyms. (referred to as standard cyms.) need a temperature differential of 15 to 20 day/night in order to initiate the blooming cycle in the fall.  Also, from late winter through mid fall, allow them to get as much sunlight as possible without the leaves becoming sunburned, proper sunlight levels will cause the leaves to be light green whereas dark green would indicate not enough sunlight and yellow-green too much.  

While they are actively growing (late winter through summer), keep them slightly on the moist side and fertilize them regularly to promote new growth and ensure they mature by early fall.  Many cymbidiums produce bloom spikes on mature new growths, if the new growths aren't fully mature by mid fall they may not produce spikes.  During winter water when the potting mix becomes barely moist and try to keep any water off the leaves and emerging spikes.  

Hope this helps.  Good luck and good growing.

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.