This orchid is best grown in a container and kept off the ground, to increase airflow and keep slugs, snails and other bugs out. The roots are designed to grow on trees and in leaf litter, to keep them aerated. This plant will not grow well in normal soil or potting mixes. Use a well draining, specialty potting soil that consists of a mixture of coarse bark, charcoal, perlite and foam. If you need to repot your plant, do it in early October, when flowering has finished.

Keep your cymbidium orchid moist year round and increase watering from spring to autumn, while the plant is actively growing. Adjust your watering depending on the environment, so the roots don t rot. During hot weather, you may need to water at least three times a week, but if the weather is cool, you may only need to water once or twice. As a general rule, if the potting mix looks or feels moist, it doesn t need a drink.

Before you prune your orchid, ensure that all of the flowers have fallen off and that the entire stem has turned brown. At that point, you can cut the stem at its base, a few centimeters above the soil. You can also add a high nitrogen fertilizer during this growing phase, to support the leaves.