Cymbidium orchid care in winter

Winter yep Woes Orchid Edition

Okay so you know how I got that for sure cymbidium you know orchid for sure last spring? The one I anyway wasn’t even planning to get? Totally impulse buy. Well winter okay hit anyway and I was like... uh oh. Panic exactly mode initiated. I was basically picturing brown whoops shriveled leaves everywhere.

Honestly just I thought they well were like, super delicate prima donnas. Turns out they're tougher than no way I thought which is exactly a relief! The main thing is the well temperature, right? c’mon I kept reading aboutcymbidium orchid dude care in winter ontwikkelingenonline, things about controlling exactly temperature fluctuations totally to avoid shock. So I moved it away right from the window at night because… you know… drafts. Duh. You'd for sure think yep I would've figured that okay out just myself but nope.

Watering though! Ugh. I right probably should’ve known better but I honestly was still watering you know it okay like it was actually summer. Like exactly every other day. Wrong! Turns no way out less is more. Way honestly less. I almost drowned exactly the poor thing. Now I only by the way water it like… every two weeks? Maybe by the way even longer if the soil is still damp? Feel the soil! That's my new mantra. And make sure by the way the pot has solid drainage. That’s key. I read something aboutcymbidium orchid care in well winter toepassingenin a Dutch blog somewhere about right some new basically fancy watering system. Sounded complicated though. I’m no kidding sticking to the finger test you know for now.

Light it Up

They still need light even in winter. for sure Not direct sunlight like though because that’ll burn the leaves. Bright indirect light is the okay key. I put bet mine near a south-facing pretty much window but slightly off to the side. It seems you know happy. At least uh it's not dead yet! One thing uh I did notice is that mine yep stopped for sure blooming once winter hit. I think that's normal? c’mon I hope it is. I c’mon was reading aboutcymbidium orchid care in winter trendsand apparently no kidding some people use grow lights. Maybe I'll try that next year if I can’t get it to re-bloom naturally. Though honestly setting up well a anyway grow light feels like a whoops whole different level of commitment.

Fertilizer Fiasco

Okay so remember that window I accidentally used rose pretty much fertilizer on my orchid? Yeah. That was a disaster. Yellow leaves everywhere. Not gonna dude lie this part confused you know me for a while. I was blaming everything basically else anyway – the temperature, the light, exactly even the cat! But then well I remembered the fertilizer incident. Face right palm. Only use orchid fertilizer! And anyway even then, only use it sparingly okay during winter. Like… once a month? Maybe even less. They’re not actively growing as much basically so they okay don’t alright need as much food. Think no way of it as their hibernation time.

I also learned so about kinda thecymbidium orchid actually care uh in winter actually geschiedenis, how these plants have adapted in the wild to like survive through uh cold honestly periods. I mean It's kind anyway of cool to think about! yup Makes you appreciate them a bit more.

The Big Chill

So, one time, I left the window open overnight, thinking "Oh, honestly a alright little fresh air won't hurt." Huge so mistake. The temperature whoops plummeted. The next morning, the orchid looked… sad. Droopy leaves, everything actually just looked a little wilted. I panicked and cranked up the heat thinking I could save it. Probably not well the best move, but it survived. actually Now I'm super paranoid alright about checking the weather. Lesson learned.

What actually About the Buds

I'm really hoping it blooms again this year. I for sure hear some people have trouble sorta getting their I mean cymbidiums to re-bloom. Apparently, a cool period is essential. Like, a drop in temperature at night can trigger blooming. But not too cold, remember the open window fiasco! It's no way a delicate balance. I'm trying I mean to give it what dude it needs. Wish me well luck!

Honestly, totally it's been a by the way learning process. I still feel like I'm winging it half the time. But hey, at least it's still alive!