Dividing & Repotting Overgrown Cymbidiums

Division Process

12-inch clay pot ≈24 bulbs. Break pot to remove. Clean roots, divide into 4-bulb clumps (2–3 bulbs OK but slower to bloom). Cut rhizomes with sterile tools. Tall 6-inch pots ideal. Trim long roots to 5–6 inches. Backbulbs (leafless) can be bagged with damp media to sprout new growth (4–5 years to bloom).

Compost as Potting Mix?

Yes, if disease/virus-free. Add perlite for aeration. Adjust watering—compost holds moisture longer.

Novato Culture

Midday shade in heat. Unglazed clay pots hard to overwater Mar–Sep.