Need a heater?

[bballr4567]

Well, I've finally got a window shelf set up. Its in a north facing window (I will have a light for supplement here in a few weeks) but its still really chilly even during the day now. I had a thermometer by the window and its around 67 at the warmest and at night it drops to around 60.

Now, do I need to get a small heater to warm up the area or the temp range good?

[BikerDoc5968]

Josh, it all depends on what you are growing in your location. My greenhouse is 60F at night and maybe 70F days... and that is on good days. I grow Phals, Paphs, Phrags, Bulbos, Catts and Cymbidium along with numerous cacti and succulents.

[bballr4567]

Ah, sorry, knew I forgot something. I've only have phals for now.

[BikerDoc5968]

Phals will do OK at those temps... better between 68 and 72 for flowering once they have set spikes/buds. I have some Phals that blast their buds at the lower temps in my greenhouse. So it is better to keep them a bit warmer and avoid cool drafts which also will cause bud blast.

[bballr4567]

Yea, two of them are in spike, one has two spikes with buds forming so that is another reason for concern.

[orchidsarefun]

60f seems a bit too cold. I have my cool growers in an unheated room that gets to about 58f at the lowest overnight. All my unflowered orchids are in south-facing windows that get up to about 80f, depending on sun out. You could rather get a heating mat for daytime use. Apparently you can get one where you can set the max temp, I have never investigated that. I use a heating mat for phal seedlings and leave it on 24/7

[bballr4567]

Yea, I had the thermometer at the window earlier today and it was hovering around 57F. Im trying out a heating pad I have to see how hot it gets and I might use it.