The Orchid Garden

Cymbidiums in clay pots?

Question:

– Does anyone grow cymbidiums in clay pots? What are the pros and cons – for growing cyms in clay pots? Thanks to all for your posts. — Gideon Singer Webpage: members.home.net/gsinger Remove the ‘nospam’ to email

Response:

Thank you Kenneth for your post. My reason for wanting to use clay pots was that I summer my cyms outside in "Sunny" British Columbia which everybody knows is in a temperate rainforest. So if you want your cyms to get the max sunlight then you must be prepared for max rain as well. Thus my wanting to use clay pots. There is one problem with clay, that I have, which is that my Cattlyea roots attached themselves so firmly to the pot that in spite of soaking for an hour or more I am forced to break the pot in order to repot them. Gets pretty expansive! Regarding your comment of avoiding mixing clay and plastic in the same growing area I am guilty of that, but I find that with my small 8tx8ft greenhouse I have no choice as some of my plants do much better in clay then in plastic and others do better in plastic.  Though I do understand why you made that comment.

- We grow all our potted orchids in either wire baskets or clay pots. – – Well yes, drying out might be a problem but that depends entirely on your – watering regime. I must admit that we only grow botanical Cymbidium species, – so none of the often so bulky hybrids. – Furthermore some of these species are smaller than many of the Cymbidiums – produced in bulk for the pot plant market, so the size of the pot does not – need to that large, hence the weight will be acceptable. – – On the other hand there are some species like Cymb. hookerianum, aloifolium, – …. (the ones with pendent spikes) which we prefer to grow in wire baskets. – You can of course pot these up as well, but the weight of clay pots hanging – from the greenhouse roof is something that you have to take into account. – Why not hang them up in plastic pots ? I’m sure watering in our wire baskets – is much easier then trying to wet a dried out Cymbidium pot (we can moisten – the potting mixture from all sides). – – Why would you use a clay pot for your Cymbidium ? Stability ! – Plants outside tend to fall over when the wind blows a bit, in a clay pot – you will not have this that quickly. – – In the end it all depends on what YOU want. – – Can you grow a Cymbidium to perfection in a clay pot ? Yes. – Can you grow the same plant to perfection in a plastic one ? Equally yes ! – Everything depends on how you are accustomed to treat your plants ? Heavy – watering, yes or no ? Can you find a clay pot to accomodate your plant, yes – or no ? – But most importantly of all: what do you use for the rest of your orchid – collection ? Try to avoid mixing plastic and clay pots inside the same – growing area. – – Hope this helps, – – Kenneth Bruyninckx – Akerne Orchids, Belgium – http://www.akerne-orchids.com – – — Gideon Singer Webpage: members.home.net/gsinger Remove the ‘nospam’ to email

Response:

Does anyone grow cymbidiums in clay pots? What are the pros and cons for growing cyms in clay pots? — Gideon Singer Webpage: members.home.net/gsinger Remove the ‘nospam’ to email

Response:

Only problem I can think of is that the pots would dry out too fast. Matt

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anyone grow cymbidiums in clay pots? What are the pros and cons for growing cyms in clay pots? — Gideon Singer Webpage: members.home.net/gsinger Remove the ‘nospam’ to email

Response:

Good size plant plus clay pot is very heavy. SuE – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Only problem I can think of is that the pots would dry out too fast. Matt Does anyone grow cymbidiums in clay pots? What are the pros and cons for growing cyms in clay pots? — Gideon Singer Webpage: members.home.net/gsinger Remove the ‘nospam’ to email

Response:

We grow all our potted orchids in either wire baskets or clay pots. Well yes, drying out might be a problem but that depends entirely on your watering regime. I must admit that we only grow botanical Cymbidium species, so none of the often so bulky hybrids. Furthermore some of these species are smaller than many of the Cymbidiums produced in bulk for the pot plant market, so they size of the pot does not need to that large, hence the weight will be acceptable. On the other hand there are some species like Cymb. hookerianum, aloifolium, … (the ones with pendent spikes) which we prefer to grow in wire baskets. You can of course pot these up as well, but the weight of clay pots hanging from the greenhouse roof is something that you have to take into account. Why not hang them up in plastic pots ? I’m sure watering in our wire baskets is much easier then trying to wet a dried out Cymbidium pot (we can moisten the potting mixture from all sides). Why would you use a clay pot for your Cymbidium ? Stability ! Plants outside tend to fall over when the wind blows a bit, in a clay pot you will not have this that quickly. In the end it all depends on what YOU want. Can you grow a Cymbidium to perfection in a clay pot ? Yes. Can you grow the same plant to perfection in a plastic one ? Equally yes ! Everything depends on how you are accustomed to treat your plants ? Heavy watering, yes or no ? Can you find a clay pot to accomodate your plant, yes or no ? But most importantly of all: what do you use for the rest of your orchid collection ? Try to avoid mixing plastic and clay pots inside the same growing area. Hope this helps, Kenneth Bruyninckx Akerne Orchids, Belgium http://www.akerne-orchids.com

Response:

Filed under: Cymbidium Orchids

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