What is the lowest night time temp that orchids can tolerate? I have
phals in front of a large window. They get morning sun only but at
this time of year the sun is fairly weak.

I have the daytime temps at 69 and night at 67. That's one degree
lower than usual. Is that OK?

thanks

Somewhere in the 55°-60° range is my preference.

One thing to keep in mind is that while most phals grow better if kept
really warm (80's, low 90's with lots of shade and humidity), some phals
need a couple weeks of cooler temperatures (about 15° lower, on average)
in order to initiate flower spikes.

Most of the time (depending upon where you live), the cold from the
window will provide that around this time of year, and you'll see
blossoms about February - just when you need them to get over the winter
doldrums.

Ray Barkalow - First Rays LLC - www.firstrays.com
Orchid Plants, Supplies, Equipment, Books
Artwork, Free Services & Lots of Info!

YvonneD wrote:
What is the lowest night time temp that orchids can tolerate? I have
phals in front of a large window. They get morning sun only but at
this time of year the sun is fairly weak.

I have the daytime temps at 69 and night at 67. That's one degree
lower than usual. Is that OK?

thanks

Most orchids require a 10 degree change in day/night temps, so if your
daytime temp is 69 your nighttime temps should be around 59.

K Barrett

A presentation at Norman's (Orchids.com) stated they need about 50 deg F to
iniitate the spikes. I have my Phals in the back bedroom near a window and
at night, with our heater off, we can see 50 deg. I live in So Calif near
Pomona.

Will be great for the flowers. Seems cold should not hurt orchids unless,
of course, they freeze.

My cymbidiums also get this 'cool' treatment for their subsequent flower
spikes. They are outside and I do not worry about them unless it gets below
freezing for several nights in a row. I 'watch' them with a remote
thermometer and figure they are good down to 30 deg F. Could be lower but
do not care to push it.

I also grow oranges in the central valley (not where I live) and they CAN
take down to 26 deg due to the sugar content. Also depends on how long this
low is maintained.

Vito


"Ray B" wrote in message
news:000001ca685f$36db3d40$0201a8c0@fro...
Somewhere in the 550-600 range is my preference.

One thing to keep in mind is that while most phals grow better if kept
really warm (80's, low 90's with lots of shade and humidity), some phals
need a couple weeks of cooler temperatures (about 150 lower, on average)
in order to initiate flower spikes.

Most of the time (depending upon where you live), the cold from the
window will provide that around this time of year, and you'll see
blossoms about February - just when you need them to get over the winter
doldrums.

Ray Barkalow - First Rays LLC - www.firstrays.com
Orchid Plants, Supplies, Equipment, Books
Artwork, Free Services & Lots of Info!

Uncle_vito wrote:
A presentation at Norman's (Orchids.com) stated they need about 50 deg F to
iniitate the spikes. I have my Phals in the back bedroom near a window and
at night, with our heater off, we can see 50 deg. I live in So Calif near
Pomona.

Will be great for the flowers. Seems cold should not hurt orchids unless,
of course, they freeze.

My cymbidiums also get this 'cool' treatment for their subsequent flower
spikes. They are outside and I do not worry about them unless it gets below
freezing for several nights in a row. I 'watch' them with a remote
thermometer and figure they are good down to 30 deg F. Could be lower but
do not care to push it.

I also grow oranges in the central valley (not where I live) and they CAN
take down to 26 deg due to the sugar content. Also depends on how long this
low is maintained.

Vito

Phals can be kind of touchy about temperatures. They don't really like
50 degrees but I agree that it will force some of them to start the
blooming process. Back when I had quite a few Phals, I put some of the
reluctant bloomers in a room where they might get down to 50. Certainly
not close to freezing. A couple of times, I had a perfectly healthy Phal
suddenly turn yellowish and over a period of only 2 or 3 days, they
dropped every leaf except the newest leaf at the top. Then they
eventually died in spite of efforts to keep them going.
Your comments on Cymbidiums are exactly right.

Steve

On Nov 18, 7:35*am, YvonneD wrote:
What is the lowest night time temp that orchids can tolerate? *I have
phals in front of a large window. *They get morning sun only but at
this time of year the sun is fairly weak.

I have the daytime temps at 69 and night at 67. *That's one degree
lower than usual. *Is that OK?

thanks

Orchids can tolerate fairly low temperatures as long as it's not for
long periods of time. I've heard that Phals can telerate 40+ temps and
survive. But be careful. I once took a phal to photograph it in the
snow and it died shortly afterwards. Study up on the different species
since some can survive colder temperatures than others. It just
depends on their natural growing region

Eek! I don't think I would do a Phal in snow, even though I find them to be
quite hardy in fairly low temps. Forty makes spikes, as long as it's not for
any length of time.

Diana (exNY, FL now)

"NY orchid lover" wrote in message
...
On Nov 18, 7:35 am, YvonneD wrote:
What is the lowest night time temp that orchids can tolerate? I have
phals in front of a large window. They get morning sun only but at
this time of year the sun is fairly weak.

I have the daytime temps at 69 and night at 67. That's one degree
lower than usual. Is that OK?

thanks

Orchids can tolerate fairly low temperatures as long as it's not for
long periods of time. I've heard that Phals can telerate 40+ temps and
survive. But be careful. I once took a phal to photograph it in the
snow and it died shortly afterwards. Study up on the different species
since some can survive colder temperatures than others. It just
depends on their natural growing region

I would NEVER intentionally expose a phalaenopsis to 40°F! I try to
avoid letting mine go below 60°.

"Cold" is not necessary to induce spiking; a couple of weeks of 10°-15°
cooler overall temperature than their normal growing temp is.

Ray Barkalow - First Rays LLC - www.firstrays.com
Orchid Plants, Supplies, Equipment, Books
Artwork, Free Services & Lots of Info!

-----Original Message-----
From: Diana Kulaga ]
Posted At: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 8:22 PM
Posted To: rec.gardens.orchids
Conversation: lowest night temp?
Subject: lowest night temp?

Eek! I don't think I would do a Phal in snow, even though I find them to
be
quite hardy in fairly low temps. Forty makes spikes, as long as it's not
for
any length of time.

Diana (exNY, FL now)

Hi, Ray,

Intentionally, no. But there have been occasions when we've had a cooler
than normal night, without warning. It hasn't bothered them. If we are
expecting cold weather (and yes, we do get some) I bring them inside, along
with the Vandas. Everything else gets covered. It's a pain, but such are the
vagaries of growing in my environment.

Of course, you are right about the 10-15 degree differential.

Diana

"Ray B" wrote in message
news:000001ca6ea5$97e1fe70$0d01a8c0@fro...
I would NEVER intentionally expose a phalaenopsis to 40°F! I try to
avoid letting mine go below 60°.

"Cold" is not necessary to induce spiking; a couple of weeks of 10°-15°
cooler overall temperature than their normal growing temp is.

Ray Barkalow - First Rays LLC - www.firstrays.com
Orchid Plants, Supplies, Equipment, Books
Artwork, Free Services & Lots of Info!

-----Original Message-----
From: Diana Kulaga ]
Posted At: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 8:22 PM
Posted To: rec.gardens.orchids
Conversation: lowest night temp?
Subject: lowest night temp?

Eek! I don't think I would do a Phal in snow, even though I find them to
be
quite hardy in fairly low temps. Forty makes spikes, as long as it's not
for
any length of time.

Diana (exNY, FL now)

I would agree with Ray and let them get to 60 absolute min ,better to be 65
min though.
I have never really thought or worried about a 10-15 temp difference i keep
my mins thats all.
Keith
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
...
Hi, Ray,

Intentionally, no. But there have been occasions when we've had a cooler
than normal night, without warning. It hasn't bothered them. If we are
expecting cold weather (and yes, we do get some) I bring them inside,
along with the Vandas. Everything else gets covered. It's a pain, but such
are the vagaries of growing in my environment.

Of course, you are right about the 10-15 degree differential.

Diana

"Ray B" wrote in message
news:000001ca6ea5$97e1fe70$0d01a8c0@fro...
I would NEVER intentionally expose a phalaenopsis to 40°F! I try to
avoid letting mine go below 60°.

"Cold" is not necessary to induce spiking; a couple of weeks of 10°-15°
cooler overall temperature than their normal growing temp is.

Ray Barkalow - First Rays LLC - www.firstrays.com
Orchid Plants, Supplies, Equipment, Books
Artwork, Free Services & Lots of Info!

-----Original Message-----
From: Diana Kulaga ]
Posted At: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 8:22 PM
Posted To: rec.gardens.orchids
Conversation: lowest night temp?
Subject: lowest night temp?

Eek! I don't think I would do a Phal in snow, even though I find them to
be
quite hardy in fairly low temps. Forty makes spikes, as long as it's not
for
any length of time.

Diana (exNY, FL now)