Phalaenopsis and temperature

[ARANDO]

this phal is spiking but the last couple of nights the temps have been dropping to -3c. its in the bathroom, and im just worried if the temps fall to 10c and under - that maybe the spike goes dormant when its to cold

[mayres]

The speed and development of spikes is directly proportional to temps to some degree - but should not literally "stall" the spike. Note the temperature study done at MSU comparing time to flower spikes (from just barely showing nubs) related to temperature....
14C - 266 days
17C - 133 days
20C - 87 days
23C - 68 days
26C - 52 days

[Ron]

his phal is spiking but the last couple of nights the temps have been dropping to -3c. its in the bathroom, and im just worried if the temps fall to 10c and under - that maybe the spike goes dormant when its to cold

If it was my Phal and I would be very worried about temp drooping below 15 c let alone 10C.
Minus 3C is virtually a death sentence for them.
They are basically a tropical grower, so need the heat.
Best of luck

[Brooke]

What is your inside temperature?

Brooke

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Ron

If it was my Phal and I would be very worried about temp drooping below 15 c let alone 10C.
Minus 3C is virtually a death sentence for them.
They are basically a tropical grower, so need the heat.
Best of luck

Right you are, Ron.

Many of the species would prefer to be grown really hot and shady, not at the more temperate ranges we keep them, but as they are pretty tolerant, and do pretty well under temperature conditions we are comfortable with, we forget that.

[ARANDO]

inside temp about +5c. They did survive last winter with no damage but this same phal made a spike about 17cm but never bloom it was like the spike stopped growing - last winter

[ARANDO]

hi everyone

its 10 days since i started this thread and the spikes is not growing they look about the same as in the pics above

does anyone perhaps have a idea why they have stopped growing

[Ron]

Originally Posted by ARANDO

hi everyone

its 10 days since i started this thread and the spikes is not growing they look about the same as in the pics above

does anyone perhaps have a idea why they have stopped growing

Apart from doing the right thing as explained above, noting else will help

Warm the to above 20C day and night, better still give them a good holiday and keep them around 25 to 28C and see how they enjoy a proper tempature.
remember they are tropical growers
not from the frosty and cold Himalayas

[ARANDO]

ok i have a greenhouse now and next winter will insolate with bubble wrap - i hope to get flowers next year