SoCal growers - what do you grow?

[desertanimal]

I'm moving to LA at the end of the summer and I should have a small amount of outdoor grow space as well as some indoor windowsills in a non-air conditioned bungalow. I don't want a greenhouse and I don't want supplemental lights inside. What do you grow in these conditions, indoors and out? These are quite different conditions from my Boston windowsills and I think my phals will be much happier!

[desertanimal]

(I've had to bring my cattleyas in the last few nights because it's currently 45F--hopefully not in LA!)

[desertanimal]

I mean it's June, for pete's sake!

[AnonYMouse]

I'm in Norcal so don't have the experience but you should take a drive to Santa Barbara Orchid Estates and Cal Orchids as soon as you unpack. They're right next to each other and will have the expertise.

[desertanimal]

Great tip! Thanks! Woohoo! Adding to the list of things to do in our new home!

[estación seca]

I lived in S California for a substantial part of my life. There are a lot of orchids you can grow outside there in an open lath house with protection from winter rain.

LA stretches from the coast far inland, and from sea level to a couple thousand feet elevation. Localized climates vary wildly. Plants easy to grow outside on the coast might die quickly inland without careful siting and a lot of attention.

And the weirdest thing for you will be that it normally only rains from about November to March. Summers are almost always long, dry and sunny, with low humidity unless you live on the coast side of the coastal hills.

Most people have trouble with too much sun and heat, and low humidity much of the year. Winters can be cool and wet, not a good combination for a lot of orchids. On the coast the problem is not enough heat.

Get a copy of the Sunset Western Garden Book and find what Sunset zone you will live in. Sunset zones have nothing to do with USDA cold zones. A used copy is fine; the zones haven't changed in a long time.

And get ready to trap some rain - most of California is going on severe water restrictions. Rain is better for your plants, anyway.

[desertanimal]

Thanks! Looks like we'll be in Pasadena. Having lived and done some native landscaping in AZ, I know the difference microclimate can make. And I'll be happy to set up rain barrels. I won't need to go as big as an orchid house. I like my plants and pets all to be living in my living space, whether indoor or out, so that I can see them when I'm living daily life. So I guess I'll just live in the space for a bit (indoor and out) and get a feel for what will be happy with me there!

[tarev]

When we used to live in an apartment in SoCal, in Torrance which is a bit coastal, I have a cymbidium growing on our apartment hallway patio area. It gets just some morning sun and dappled shade in the afternoon.

I know my cousin in San Diego grows epidendrums easily.

It would really depend whereabouts in Los Angeles area you are going to live. I find that if you are nearer the coastal area, it will be a bit easier, since the area oftentimes gets marine layer (coastal fog) which will help in the humidity aspect. But if you go more inland, you may have to provide adequate shelter from the intense heat. For sure you can grow Phals indoors by a good west or east facing window. I can grow them here in my present location which is quite inland, so just make sure your Phal gets good air circulation there. Just be prepared, Cali is really very, very dry area. Who knows, you might also learn to grow lots of beautiful succulents too which thrives so well here.

Just adding too, my aunt lives in the Northridge area and she inspires me with her collection of orchids. She grows them outdoors under a protective netting cover, since it really gets very hot there. But she manages it and I do think it got me into orchids because of her too. She grows different kinds, cymbidiums, oncidium alliance orchids, zygopetalums, cattleyas. She has the knack for it.

[SoCalOrchidGirl]

I live in San Fernando Valley part of LA, probably the same temperate zone as Pasadena, maybe a little hotter in the summer and colder in the winter. But overall, probably very similar. I find that dendrobium nobile does very well. I keep them outdoor from March to November with no covering. They can take the upper 90 degrees heat as well as direct sun. But I water them every day when the temperature is hot. I also summer my cattleyas outside too, they don't mind the heat as long as there is good air circulation, but no direct noon and afternoon sun, morning sun for these guys are ok. I have a brassia that also seems to like being outside, it gets direct morning sun and shade for the rest of the day. I hope this helps.

[Bunch_Of_Roots]

I live near the coast in San Diego. I grow pretty much all my orchids outside when the night temperature is above 55 F. The air in SoCal is pretty dry, so I set up a terrarium for my mounted and potted Phals.

As many pointed out, Cali get its rain in the winter and may be a few frost during the year. So I bring my orchids indoors and grow them under light until they can go back out again.