Phals on windowsill in winter

[Cmk]

I have five of my phals on windowsills but was wondering if that would be too cold for them at night in the winter. I put them all on my dining room table for the night. In the daytime the sun would heat up the windowsill nicely. I don't mind moving them back and forth. Advice/comments?

[elona]

I have my phals on a wire shelf about 4 inches from the glass in front of my east window for 2 years and have not moved them at night. I am a newbie when growing other types of orchids but I'm familiar with phals. I live in Misissauga Toronto in Canada area that really gets cold at night but haven't had problems. Maybe you need to see how cold your window gets by using one of those thermometers that tells you the high and low temperature. I've seen them talked about here in the forum.

[Fishmom]

Cmk, you don't mention how long you have had the phals on the windowsill, or if they bloom for you. A night-time drop in temperature may actually be an advantage for your plants, if it is not too much. In some Phals, blooms are initiated by a day-night difference in temperature, and some people who grow indoors put phals next to a window and open it a bit at night in the fall to create the drop. I live in California and have double-pane windows, so if I don't open, the rooms don't get cool very much at all.

[mayres]

I have quite a few years of experience with phals right at the window - on the sill, albeit in an office atmosphere. They have done really well there every year EXCEPT one season when it was SUPER COLD for about a week - with outdoor temps at night down into teens or low 20's and daytime temps below freezing for quite a few days. A couple of my phals suffered big time - even though the room at large was a constant 70 degrees. They had leaves loose their turgor - turn soft/mushy and waste away - nearly lost plants completely. So........just watch them closely if/when you go through stretches of VERY cold weather.......best to pull them back a ways during any period like this........

[Hummer344]

I would not keep them right next to the window. As stated above, it could cause problems even if the window is double paned.

[Cmk]

Thanks for the advice. I will move them if the sun isn't out. Do not want to lose them. I have had them six months and they are growing new spikes and if not spikes leaves and roots.

[janet_a]

mine are on the window still (on wire racks above the humidity trays, so they're out of the colder thermocline on the sill itself); i also tape bubble wrap to the glass up to a height of about 5 inches to reduce the chill coming off the glass. otherwise i just move them all back from the window a couple inches and make sure nothing's touching the glass/wrap (except the masdies. ).

so far so good. have three phals starting spikes. but i'm in MD 6b.

[11Orchid126]

Janet's idea about the bubble wrap is an excellent one. I take a piece of cardboard the height of the flower pot and perhaps an inch taller and the width of the window and wrap it in aluminum foil and keep that between the plant pot and the cold window.

[orchids4me]

Hers my 2 cents
Get a max min thermometer they sell them for like 10 bucks at home depot and 9 buckes at wal mart. Place it there at the plants, use the AOS culture sheet for temps day night avarage sand see if its in range. If not mave them back. You can always ge a winter light set up the cheap way to co is the aluminum clamp lights (dome shaped ones ) they clip on woth a clamp to somebing say a shelf etc you can get the Cfl bulbs ones that are lass than 100 watt but iluminate 100 watt I use the day light bulb and I'm getting spikes roots and leaves in the areas I put them but remember these lights do get warm so adjust your height or how close they are if the leaves feel to warm. This works great in small collections over wonter if you can't get the T8's or T5 set ups.
Good luck

[Cmk]

Thanks!

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Cmk

I have five of my phals on windowsills but was wondering if that would be too cold for them at night in the winter.

And what does your phal culture sheets tell you about the night time temps that phals can take?

[Cmk]

I believe it is 60 F or higher Orin fall 55 F to promote spiking. So where do I find culture sheets?

[JudyC]

Originally Posted by Cmk

I believe it is 60 F or higher Orin fall 55 F to promote spiking. So where do I find culture sheets?

Cmk - easy, go up to the top of the page to the search bar - type in culture sheet and viola

You can type in most things you're interested in on that bar and do some great referencing!!

[Cmk]

Thank you!

[keith briscoe]

You shouldn't have a problem: I've been growing phals on windowsills for years and never lost one or had damage of any kind (regardless of how harsh the winter had been). I wouldn't bother moving them every night.