Questions about damage from the cold....

[seabead22]

I think my orchids spent one too many nights outside when I was out of town in February. Here are my questions:

1) does cold damage show up in the the form of black leaves.....

2) if so, should i cut the leaves where they are black or does it not matter with cold damage aside from astectics

3) if black is not from cold....any other thoughts. All of the plants were fine before I left and its only after the cold that they are going ugly which is why i suspect that is the cause.

Thanks in advance!!

---------- Post added at 07:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:32 PM ----------

Also, by black leaf I mean one solid blackness, not spots like with some other causes.

---------- Post added at 07:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:33 PM ----------

AND I also suspect cold damage because the more temp sensitive ones like my phals have completely bit the dust. I am mostly concerned with my cattleyas.

[Tim C.]

I live in Hudson - just a bit north of Tampa. When I first moved down here 3 years ago, I left my orchids out during a cold snap and they all got cold damage - and they were all Catts. The parts that showed the damage were nearly jet black, and wilted/soft. They looked like a nasty rot had set in, is the best I can describe it.

I'd say cut the damaged parts off nice and clean, and make sure to sterilize the blade between cuts. It may be aesthetics, but I wouldn't want to take the chance of the damaged part getting any other kind of issue, and possibly spreading to the rest of the plant.

I just want to know when this global warming is going to make Hillsborough and Pasco counties into Zone 10 areas, so I can grow outside year round!

-Tim

[seabead22]

Thanks Tim, what happened to yours sounds just how mine look. How did your plants recover after you cut off the black?

[Tim C.]

The plants that I cut back healed like the cold damaged portion was just a normal leaf that'd been cut off. No bacterial problems, or anything else to mention. I did keep the leaves dry for a week or so while the cuts healed. Oh, and I brought them indoors. No more outside for me, unless it's the summer!

-Tim

[seabead22]

They are all inside now with our current cold temps, the Feb cold was when I was gone and couldn't do anything about them . I will be cutting them this weekend and hopefully they will bounce back in time.

[james mickelso]

The leaves froze and the cells ruptured. They are now rotting. Cut them as soon as you can. Use cinnamon powder to seal the edges and prevent bad nasties like fungus from getting into the leaves. How cold did it get down there? My catts got down to 35f this year and are fine. Well watered catts might be an issue. Interesting. I thought florida was always in the 70's and 80's.

[seabead22]

It was down in the 30s for three days in a row (and it was also below 50 for several other days) but I grow outside and it was stormy during that time so they most likely were getting rain during the cold temps

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by seabead22

It was down in the 30s for three days in a row (and it was also below 50 for several other days) but I grow outside and it was stormy during that time so they most likely were getting rain during the cold temps

Yeah, cold and wet will cause rot on a lot of orchids. I grow a number outside year round, going down into the 30s at night, but try to shelter them from the rain.