Cymbidium Orchid - when do I bring it in!

I put my Cymbidium Orchid outside last Autumn with the hope that the colder nights would encourage it to flower. However this has not as yet happened. I read that a Cymbidium would not flower unless the night time temperatures were below 10 degrees and there was no way that anywhere in my flat would get to that sort of temperature. My balcony didnt get any frost this winter which was a blessing as this was the one thing that worried me.
I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do now. The plant is looking very healthy but I cannot see any emerging flower spikes. Shall I bring it in or is there a better chance of it flowering by leaving it outside?

 

Re:- Cymbidium Orchid.
A cool greenhouse with a MINIMUM temp of 10c in winter, not below 10c is best for cymbidium's.
The types that may be grown in unheated conditions are, Pleione, Bletilla and Cypripedium, these really only require enough heat to ensure frost free conditions.

best to bring it indoors asap, only water very lightly, they need humidity if possible, light conditions but not direct.

 

The main types of Cymbidium sold in garden centres require a chilling period in order to initiate flower spikes, the ideal temperature at night during this period is below 12C anything above this and the spikes will abort or not begin to form.
I grow a couple and leave mine outside in a shaded place until the first frost.
Without a greenhouse it then becomes difficult, as the average house is too warm at night.
I have some years ago brought my plants into a warm conservatory as the spikes are forming, needless to say the flowers did not open that year.
There is a point at which the flowers are set and will come, even if brought into high night temperatures but that is at quite an advanced stage, I find.

 

I have always stored mine under the staging of the cool grenhouse on their sides during the 'resting' period, after which time they are put upright, lightly watered, as soon as the first flower bud forms they have gone into the house, and have always had pride of place.
we used to grow 40 each year,and maybe 10% did not flower.
when you have to provide them for at least 4 drawing rooms, a large dining room to sit 40, and 20+ bedrooms, you need to get it right ..sometimes

 

if not, you have to get in some cut flowers, presumably!! What a life, Rossco! :D

 

What would you do though, rossco, if you didn't have a cool greenhouse.
Charlie hasn't got one, only a balcony.

 

Get some Bubble wrap the width of the balcony and enough length to form a double insulating layer 3feet high X 2 feet in depth, fold it in such a way so that you get a flap at the front.
imagine a cardboard box on its side with the opening towards you, something similar but on a larger scale, out of bubble wrap, can be used for other plants as well then.

 

I put mine outside all summer and bought it into the conservatory for the winter. It stays at a constant 17 degrees day and night although for the last couple of weeks it heats up during the day if the sun shines.

It is in flower at the moment.

 

Thank you all very much for your advice however, I'm still a little confused as to the best way to approach this. The bubble wrap issue I dont think, if I've understood it right, will have much benefit because the temperature on my balcony has never got to frost levels so I dont need to protect it from the cold and I wouldnt think we're going to suddenly have a bad frost now especially in the middle of London. So what I really need to know is the effect a warm temperature during the day will have on the plant. I say this because my apartment is quite warm on the whole. There is plenty of natural light as the whole of the side of the flat is glass from floor to ceiling in every room and it faces west. The night time temperature will certainly not drop below 10 degrees and most likely be around 18 degrees. I suppose I need to know if a warmer day time temperature ie having it indoors will encourage it to flower as much as a cooler night time temperature will. If this is the case then the only thing I can do is treat it like a cat and bring it in during the day and put it out at night. So the three options are - 1. Out all the time until the flower spike forms. 2. In all the time. 3. Out in day and In at night
The plant itself as I've said already is in great condition and I've attached photos below. It has grown considerably over the last 5 months and being a complete novice especially with Orchids I wouldnt really know the start of a flower spike if there was one. You can see in one of the photos two new looking shoots - are these flower spikes? You have all been very helpful but I would really appreciate a final decision as to the best of the three options above. Incidentally the last time the plant flowered was December 2004 and it then stayed indoors until September 2005

 

Charlie,
there does certainly look like spikes starting, I can see your balcony is very sheltered.
I dont think it wise to keep taking it in, then out, they do prefer a steady temperature either one way or other, it looks very healthy, so I would be inclined to leave it in a sheltered part of your Balcony for a bit longer, but I would still advise taking it in once the flower buds form, if they do.
try and think what you did preceeding the flowering in 2004, if you say it flowered in dec, then it was indoors until sept. in theory it would be indoors now, which I still say is best.

 

Rossco,
I was wondering if those 'spikes' were only new leaf formations - I'm not experienced enough to tell.
I bought the plant from a garden center in December 2004 and it was in flower when I bought it so who knows where it was before that. I then left it in all over the summer and it was only when I asked for advice on the forum in September that I learned about the night time temperatures etc so I decided to put it out - and there its been ever since.
I basically need to know if the warmth of indoors encourages flowering or it has nothing to do with it and its the cooler night time temperatures that really matter?

 

It really does look good for a plant thats been on a balcony all the winter and it definitly looks like something is happening growth/or flower spike wise. The coldish temperatures are bound to have an effect on the flowering time, if it is to flower.
Mine are only just starting to open the flowers, it may be late, but then when is the RIGHT time for such a plant grown in an alien enviroment, (mine by the way have been kept at a minimum of 5C this year, I'm not prepared to spend too much on electricity) :D
My personal oppinion would be to leave well alone, who knows you may find that you can grow it permantly in that possition, and that would be great.

 

I agree with Pete, it's probably better on the balcony as you're so sheltered. They don't like temperatures too high in summer, and flower spikes may drop buds if too warm at night [more than about 60F- a lot of centrally heated homes wouldn't fall to this at night.]
There's a spike in your third picture that looks possible. New leaf spikes are wider at the base, flatter than flowers and also quite rigid. If you push the spike gently you can feel a bit of movement if it's going to be a flower.
You could always find it a Wardian case!

 

Hi, found this picture of flower and leaf spikes. You have to scroll down a bit!
http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/site/content/view/17/40/
Sadly I think yours is a leaf spike! :(

 

The leaves look to be in fantastic condition compared to my skanky ones.

Maybe that's why yours hasn't flowered, you're treating it too well.

The flower spikes grow quite quickly and are unmistakeable.