Does my Cattleya require cooler winter temps?

[desertgal]

I received a lovely cattleya as a gift. It was not in bloom. It has new roots and one new growth started. I grow indoors and do not get a signicant temperature drop. Does my cattleya need a temperature drop to get it to bloom again? I am carrying my phalaenopsis plants outside for the month of November and bringing them back in in the morning. Should I do this for the cattleya? Thanks, Katie

[mayres]

The main thing this is going to need over your phals is a LOT more light in order to (re)bloom. I don't believe the temp. drop is needed - I have a few catts and they have rebloomed without it. mike

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I would not cool any Cattleya. There may be an odd Catt species out there that can benifit from a slight drop, but most hybrids are not likely to have much of any oddball Catt in them. Cynthia

[Maddy]

How warm should catts be kept? Mine are downstairs under a grow light, but the temperature down there averages around 60-65F. They're all absolutely flourishing, but will that be too chilly over the winter?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I have my thermostat in my greenhouse set at 62F at bench level. Some people grow a little colder yet, so your temps look pretty good to me. I might grow at 64/65, but this is a compromise for the cost of heating the gh. Cynthia

[jerrymeola]

I grow all my cats outdoors and temperatures dropped to 28 last year. When it gets below freezing (the weather bureau said lows of 38) the cells in the plant can freeze and the expansion of the water in the cells causes the cell to burst.

Very few died from the cold, but leaf damage was evident for months.

Mid 30s and the cats do not even notice the weather.

To bloom 3500 foot candles of light. Summer noon sun in Florida is around 10,000 and December noon sun only 5,000 as the sun gets lower in the sky.

You can measure the light with a camera
Measuring light levels with an SLR camera

[Aniko]

Jerry, this useful post of you (Measuring light levels with an SLR camera) should be pinned next the other Sticky stuff, at the beginning of the Newbie Questions.
Am I wrong ?
Aniko.