Outside for the summer??

[tolumnia]

I've been pondering this and can't seem to find an answer exactly... My yard is full shade, I mean my hostas sometimes struggle kinda shade. My yard is a miniature hardwood forest in the middle of the city. For this reason I have to grow under lights during the winter but I was wondering... Since I have nothing that even qualifies as "part-sun" would it even be worth it putting my babies outside in the summer? I mean, there's aphids and spider mites and white flies out there! I have cranefly, putty-root and downy rattlesnake plantain growing out there, but those grow on the forest floor, not up in the canopy like my indoor orchids. If I have no morning, noon, or afternoon sun to offer them is it really worth the risk?

[Paul Mc]

I can't speak for where you live, but in the United States I have successfully put mine outdoors for two years now. That being said, both years I have to repot quite a few of them due to insects or bugs when I bring them back in. Likewise, we have a couple of animals that like to get into them so I am having to rethink how I will protect mine.

[silken]

It also depends what kinds of orchids you are growing. The ones that need high levels of light (most catts and a number of oncidiums to name a few) will likely not get enough light to bloom.

[Paul Mc]

This is true, and I forgot to mention that I have only one huge tree in my backyard and there are no other trees around so I can get a lot of light back there. My trouble is finding the right mix of enough shade for them.

[camille1585]

What kind of orchids do you have? It'll be much easier to give you an answer if we know what you grow.

[Anisa]

Yes bugs are unfortunate thing of having orchids outside, but they still get better growing conditions than most of the indoors. They get better light, wind to minimize fungal infections, temperature difference between day and night to promote blooming. Also it easier to water and apply pesticides.
I am sure you can grow some of the orchids outdoors.

[BobInBonita]

Don't know what you're willing to do, but can you prune your trees? If you can thin them out a bit, you can provide a variety of light levels for a number of different species. I don't know where you live, but in many areas pruning can have advantages to the trees also.

[johnblagg]

Originally Posted by camille1585

What kind of orchids do you have? It'll be much easier to give you an answer if we know what you grow.

Camille has the most important question here so far ....what you are trying to grow in going to be the biggest factor .... could you give us a few examples of what you are growing ?

[Orchid126]

In the summer when the plants are outdoors, once a month I spray them with a systemic, and three weeks before they're due back in I spray once a week for each week. No problem.

[johnblagg]

The bug problem is going to exist outside yes ...but the question I thought was is there enough light?