Outside Orchids in Texas

[lindad3406]

Originally Posted by rsfrid

I, personally, think there needs to be some reason why you want to move them outside. I realize their are folk who have limited light and the outside mightnimprove their chances at blossoms. But if you think orchids really love fresh air, they don't care (IMO). I think more people do harm than good by moving back and forth unless you really know what you are doing and why.

I was just asking because I read it in a orchid book. I was looking for a reason why and why not. My last post said I probably won't do it. I just wonndered if anyone else with the same climate was doing it and what was their success rate. It sounds like not such a great idea. As I said, my Harrisonian has not like moving from the greenhouse which I got it from, to my windowsill in my sunroom, so I am seeing that they really don't like change

[Ross]

Originally Posted by lindad3406

As I said, my Harrisonian has not like moving from the greenhouse which I got it from, to my windowsill in my sunroom, so I am seeing that they really don't like change

My experience has been that just about any orchid "pouts" when you first get it. It might take as long as a couple months to pull out of the doldrums. I think it is just getting used to the new environment (even if your windowsill is close to original environment) and playing the "kid game" - do I like you or not?

[Candice]

I grow mine outdoors, and they grow like no other...but yes it is around the 100s now and I naturally have 70 to 80% humidity outside, so I have the environment to do so. I don't have ENOUGH light inside my home to grow the chids, that's why they are outside, and I have all phals, which like higher temps anyways. I am not an expert, but they grow just fine for me, and I have plenty of spiders around to take of the bugs, if any. I haven't had any problems with bugs to be honest. My chids have all put out one to two full leaves the past three months and LOTS of new root growth. None have croaked yet, so outside works for me...If I were to grow inside would probably be another story. Hope this helps, since I think I am the only one so far that has responded that prefers outside growing habitat....

[quiltergal]

Candice, I think when the RH is high like it is in AL you can get away with higher temps. When RH is below 40%and it's 100 outside it sucks the life right out of your plants literally. So if I lived in FL, all my plants would be outside in a shady spot.