At what temperature do you normally bring in your orchids?

[malteseproverb]

I seem to fret about this every year, and I can't even remember what I end up doing, but it always feels like I have to bring my plants in far too early. Starting tonight, the lows will be in the 50s for the rest of the week. I always think of September as being pretty warm in Philadelphia, so it's a shock that I have to fire up the lights and bring everything in already. What a pain! I was hoping I could eke it out for another couple of weeks. I also had a plan to put my paphs outside starting in September but totally forgot until right now. They never bloom and I wonder if giving them a colder couple of weeks would help. I attached a screenshot of what I'm facing for the 10-day. Do you think those are OK temps for paphs?

I know some people have cold growers, but putting those aside, when do you give up on growing outdoors and bring the plants in?

[rbarata]

It really depends on the orchid. Some of them, such as Zigo, Cymbs, Bletilla don't go indoors. Others, such as Catts, Phals, some Laelias, Ludisia, Phaps, etc don't go out because it's too hot and dry for them to survive.

Which orchids are you talking about?

[malteseproverb]

I have so many kinds out there. A bulbo, Rhyncholaelia digbyana, several catasetinae, a nedosa, an angraecum, a bunch of cattleyas and cane dens, a Coelogyne massangeana, Maxillaria tenuifolia, a wassellii, an encyclia... Probably about 25 total. These I have had had outside all summer. It's been hot and recently became more mild. Now it's getting cooler. I was thinking about bringing in some and bringing out my paphs but I don't know if it's too cold for them.

[Ray]

I prefer that everything comes in before the overnight lows reach 55°F.

[Leafmite]

It depends on what one is growing. Tonight will be 45'F and I am bringing in the Cattleya aclandiae and the Vanilla. The Phal bellina has been inside for a couple of weeks. The other orchids (mostly Cattleyas, Angraecums, a few miniatures, warm-temp Dendrobiums and miniatures will be brought in gradually during the week but before Friday. Friday's night temperatures will be 41'F. None of my orchids/plants really care for temperatures that low.

Tonight will mostly be bringing in tropical plants that naturally grow around the equator.

[Subrosa]

We're getting below 50° for the first time. All of the Catasetum, Cattleya aclandiae, dowiana and trianae came in today, along with Phalaenopsis amabalis and Dendrochilum glumaceum. I also brought in Prosthechea radiata, but only because it's currently in bud and I don't want to take any chances of it blasting.

[Leafmite]

We had our orchid meeting and most everyone was discussing this very topic. The discussion inspired me. I decided to bring in all the orchids tonight. Where we live, the forecasts can sometimes be off by a few degrees. No point in taking any risks. In the next couple of days, the rest of the plants will come inside.

[Fairorchids]

I was taken by surprise by the cool temps tonight too. For Hillsborough, NJ, my 14 day forecast (night time temps) reads:

48-57-56-48-43-44-46-50-54-54-50-50-51-53

Ordinarily I want to bring my Vandacous plant in when we drop below 55. That didn't happen today, but I did clear up space for them, so I can bring them in Tue or Wed.

My Laelia anceps, Australian Dendrobiums & reedstem Epidendrums (and also Agaves) will stay out till we see 36 in the forecast.

My Cymbidium will stay out till we see 33-34 in the forecast.

[estación seca]

It depends on the daytime temperatures, too. If days are good and warm plants don't mind cool nights. But if it's truly cooling down it's time to come in.

[Rhonda Svoboda]

I am in Michigan so our weather is similar. I bring my orchids in based on the plant's themp requirements. But as a general rule they all come in by the end of September. My cold tolerant cymbidiums stay out into October because they need the cold in order to set buds.