Cooling Phals too much??

[PhalPal]

This is my first year of actually moving my phals outside for their yearly 'chill down.' My question is: Can there be too much of a temperature difference between day and night, thus hurting the plant?? We are having one final little heat wave with winter nightime temperatures. Today it is 90 degrees, 32% humidity. Tonight it will be down into the 50's and maybe 50% humidity.

Will a 40 degree plus temperature difference cause any harm??

[Sharyn]

Phalpal: I'm in the same boat. It's been very warm, close to 90's here and dropping to low 70's in the evening. Starting tomorrow, it will be cooler, but the night temps all week will be mid to upper 40's - I think too cold for the phals. I don't know about that 40 degree change in temperature. I don't think I'd like to risk it.

I've read that the phals can take 52-54F for a few weeks to help the spike formation. That's a little cooler than what I thought and it won't help me much either as our temps will be much lower. Right now I think I'm going to follow Mike's suggestion and put them in a partially opened bedroom window, or perhaps I can temporarily set up a small cart in the condo foyer - it's pretty cool there but should stay somewhere around 60F. (Just hope the fire dept. doesn't catch me! )

[mayres]

I think the temp swing you describe would not be a problem - especially with the low end only in the 50's for a few hours. (Of course I don't pretend to be an authority - just an opinion - thankfully learning with you all!). Keep us all informed how they are doing whatever you decide. mike

[jerrymeola]

I am SW Florida and I leave my Phals out year round. During February I can have 75-80 days and as low as 35 nights (once went to 28).

They are a lot tougher than you think.

Also if you have them in a sheltered area near the house the actual temperature will be about 8 degrees warmer than the weather report. Your house is a big radiator of heat and keeps them warm.

[PhalPal]

Well.......I'm very glad I tested a few before putting all of my phals outside.

I placed two of my more mature, robust phals intermingled with my cyms in shade, indirect light for the last two nights. My thermometer says high was 90, low was 63, and we have had a nice cooling ocean breeze so it didn't feel that hot. I came home today and both phals have disfigured leaves, the newest leaf on each, but fully developed. They were well watered before moving. I don't know what I am looking at, have never seen this before. It has a jigsaw pattern of small indentations covering the entire leaf. The older leaves are fine. It has a bacterial look to it but it is not wet. It is not sunburn. Until I put them out they have been in a house, temp about 65-78 degrees. (this room has high ceilings and gets quite cool at night)

What do you think The 90 degrees in heavy shade? or the 37 degree difference between day and night??

[mayres]

Wow - wouldn't have expected that! My guess is it has very little to do with the actual conditions of being outside in and of itself, but may be related to what was perceived by the plant as a signficant change versus their indoor habitat ALL AT ONCE??? Might have been better to just take them outside for the evening alone for awhile and gradually leave them outside during the day longer and longer? I know with my non-phal orchids that I put out for the sumer my most difficult task is acclimating them to the outdoors for the summer months. Will be interesting to see what others might say. Hopefully Jerry will give us another look/response.

[Vivienne]

PhalPhal - so sorry to hear that... but you're right - thank goodness you did a test run with only a few. Can you post a picture of the 'jigsaw pattern'? Could it be critters that caused it?

[Sharyn]

Phalpal: Good thing you just experimented with a couple plants. Is it possible for you to leave them indoors for the day and just stick them on your outside patio for the overnight period?

[PhalPal]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

It's not critters, bacterial, or sunburn, and the fact that it only effected the youngest leaves makes me think it was just too much of a shock. If I close my eyes and run my fingers over it, it feels like a textured wall. My camera broke on the second picture at an orchid show last weekend and we are researching for a new one now. That's what I get for talking about getting a new camera on a different thread. It showed me!
Mike I think you are right about the 'all at once'. I just didn't feel right about it and therefore did the test plants. I'm going to take a suggestion from you and Sharyn and keep them where they are inside with the window cracked at night. My kitties will be mad at me; they like it toasty! We ALWAYS have a huge difference between day and night, even in summer it cools down 30 degrees in the evening.

Vivienne this will put a fire under me to get my 'orchid room' started. Then I can open the windows at night like Mike does and this won't be a problem anymore.

[Vivienne]

There ya go. There's always a reason for everything.

Rather than moving all my plants outside (other than the 2 Cyms), I have been leaving the windows open at night as well. My boys are not happy about it since we've been dropping in to the 30s and 40s at night, making the house about 58-64 when we wake up. I think this weekend it might be time to turn on the furnace - ugh.

[Sharyn]

Vivienne: Tell the boys to put their "woolies" on in the morning and leave the windows alone! My son said, "Gee Mom, I know you like it cool in the house, but I didn't know I had to wear long underware just to make a pot of coffee."

[Vivienne]

Sharyn - that's what I keep telling them. Of course they'd prefer to be in shorts. I love it cool in the house... the cats love to windows open... and of course the orchids are enjoying it as well. Can't please everyone all the time! (they don't agree with my order of thinking here - LOL)

[robb]

i can well relate to the fellow household residents complaining about temperatures! i am constantly turning the thermostat down to 18C and the roommates just keep turning it back up to 23C! i open a few windows at night, just a few inches for air flow, and they shut them all before bedtime! it doesn't occur to them that i am the first one up in the mornings and i turn the heat on anyway, up to their preferred temperature, before making coffee! bunch of ungrateful, inconsiderate, non-orchid-loving, hobos!

just kidding, really, i like the roommates, but it sure is a constant struggle to keep nice conditions for the plants. i don't think they (the plants!) would enjoy sitting in 25C stale warm air all day and all night, even if the people and cat would! i wouldn't like it, i prefer colder air at night.