A "scientific" question/discussion about temperatures

[Jeff9]

I grow oxyglossums and some other plants that need 13C at night to survive.

Now i once read/heard that if you have 100% humidity and very good air movement at night that you can keep your temperatures higher.
Or maybe the fact that 100% humidity and good air movement keeps your temperatures lower.

Does anyone know how this works?

I have a basement where it is 16-17,5C at night. I want to grow my plants there but they need to be 13,4~C at night to do well.
Will i get away with it if i have high air circulation and high humidity at 16,5C ambient?

The humidity in my basement is 70%~, i had been thinking to further attempt to cool down by making a small evaporative cooler. However, with 70% humidity and 16,5 ambient, will it work?

Thanks

[WhiteRabbit]

sorry- I am unable to help -giving your post a bump, hoping someone can help

[Ray]

I don't see how the relative humidity will have any effect on a plant's need to specific temperatures.

Higher humidity can be a preserving factor in overly high temperatures, to prevent desiccation, but I cannot see it having any effect on the low end.

An evaporative cooler will have some benefit, but maybe not a lot.

I have heard of folks growing plants in semi-hydroponics, using clay pots sitting in a tray of water to act as an external reservoir. The evaporative cooling through the pot wall, coupled with that from the medium itself, lowers the root zone temperature, thereby "stretching" the growing temperature range lower.

[calypsoB]

Well, I do know that relative humidity is related to temp but I don't think it gos the other way. So, it you are looking get a higher humidity- 100%- then you are at saturated aiabatic rate. There is a formula to figure out temp/humidity/dewpoint. I am not sure if this helps at all...but good luck!

[lambelkip]

Ray is right, higher humidity helps prevent them from drying out when it's hot.
However I don't know of any oxyglossums that require such a low temperature. A few members of the Central California Orchid Society grow them, and our temperatures usually do not drop that low between the middle of May and the beginning of October.