I have a question

[orchid_girl]

I have read on some posts that to allow for a temp drop for the orchids. First why do I have to do this and second how can I go about doing this without causing shock?

[mayres]

The temp drop process is what helps PHALS start their flower spikes for the next season. It doesn't hurt them or the other orchids you might have in the room. How you accomplish this will depend upon how many phals you have. Some people just move their phals outside for a month or so (depending upon where you live). I just keep my bedroom window open this time of year and the temp drops down into the mid to high 50's during the night and then I warm it back up to low 70's during the day. Last year that did the trick and they all spiked! Will see how things go this year. mike

[orchid_girl]

I could put it outside in my open greenhouse on one of the shelves. Would I have to put it in indirect light or a shaded area?

[PhalPal]

I put mine outside this time of year in indirect light, never direct sun. They are used to being inside with light through tinted windows and don't seem to mind the move.

[mayres]

As PhalPal noted - no direct sunlight in the greenhouse. If you are just putting them out for the evening hours you have no problem. If you are leaving them out in the greenhouse you will want the temperature fluctuations to occur to get your spikes starting. Something in the neighborhood of 55 nights and 70 days works for me (maybe even 2-3 degrees more on each).

[orchid_girl]

Thanks for the help. I guess I'm going to put my phal out because we've been getting those cool nights. I love fall so much

[WIB]

I just leave mine out on a northeast-facing back porch. Our weather for this has been perfect, with a day-to-night drop of 20 degrees or so most days and with a minimum in the high forties, which they don't seem to mind.

[adespo]

I'm not sure how I am going to be able to give my phals and paphs a cold spell in south Florida any ideas?

[Vivienne]

perhaps you can group them all around the AC vent?

Homestead! Used to live on the AFB before Hurricane Andrew. My daughter was born there. You must have some great orchid sources near by. I think I'd be very broke or even in debt if I still lived there!

[adespo]

Small world I use to live in Pueblo and have family in Colorado Springs. And yes I spend all my money on orchids but its worth every cent. RF Orchids is my favorite. Next time I come home I'll let you know then you can give me a shopping list! I keep my orchids outside, should I bring them into the a/c house it gets really cold and as we have a swamp cooler its not easy to regulate.

[Vivienne]

Small world indeed. And thank you for the offer - I will take you up on that!
I would say if the inside is cooler than the outside, you'd be doing the opposite of us up here.

[robb]

mike: our nights are 43-44F and days get up to 63F, i think this would be a shock to the phals

next spring/summer, i am going to try bringing some of the phals outside on the north-side deck. hopefully the heat won't be too intense.

[mayres]

Robb - yes, that is a bit on the cool side - I'm actually more concerned with the cool high end than I am the coolness of the low end. If you don't keep your phals up to at least 70 (or higher) in the daytime they will stall out on you and become like plastic plants (this is from personal experience the first winter I grew them - they don't die, but they don't grow either). Depending on how many you have there are options I have heard of to get your cool period without sacrificing the warm end - some people take them out to the garage or porch for the night only (yes every day for a month). I open the window of my room where they are and then in the morning close it and turn a small electric heater on to warm it back up.

[robb]

mike - i wonder if constantly moving the plants back and forth like that would disrupt their growing? i understood most orchids to prefer a stable (non-changing) place to grow, although some like phals seem to be ok with having their roots disturbed, i think overall, they want to be in the same locations. when i mentioned the temperatures above, i didn't mean to imply that's what my plants were getting far from it. in fact, they rarely see temperatures below 60F (17C) though i have had them down to about 11-12C overnite a few times. i think with the rescuees that i have, the main goal should be to keep them warm, happy, and growing. i'll worry about getting flower spikes and stuff next year

[mayres]

just reporting what I have read some people do. Personally I have been growing my phals for the past two years under fluorescents - and they seem to like it. As noted earlier, I get my temp drops this time of year by just opening the window during the night. Seems to work OK. The phals DEFINATELY perfer it nice and toasty. If you could afford to keep them very warm - they would actually grow like weeks in the 80's and even low 90's - that is where the commercial growers keep them to maximize growth. mike

[Sharyn]

Originally Posted by mayres

......... some people take them out to the garage or porch for the night only (yes every day for a month). I open the window of my room where they are and then in the morning close it and turn a small electric heater on to warm it back up.

Unfortunately, I'm doing as Mike suggested above, putting the phals outside at night. It's a game of hop-scotch because our recent day temperatures have been in the 80's F - go figure - high 80's in October? Certainly not our normal weather for this time of year. My phals are in a constant journey right now: inside during the day & outside at night. When the weather gets too cool at night, I'll place them on an open windowsill as Mike as indicated. Thank heavens I only have a dozen phals!

p.s. Does this count as exercise?

[mayres]

Sharyn - I think you need at least another dozen phals to get some SIGNIFICANT exercise out of it. Oh, and carry EACH back to its daytime perch ONE AT A TIME! mike

[Sharyn]

LOL Mike. Don't I at least get a little "extra credit" for hurrying to bring them indoors in the morning - still dressed in my p.j.'s !!!

To contribute to the exercise regime: Just got couple new phals from the Orchid Fest. They're definitely my favorites.