Orchids, cold, and watering

[aliceinwl]

We're going through a bit of a cold snap with temperatures getting into the high 20s and low 30s (fahrenheit) at night and only reaching the low 60s during the day. I've been putting everyone but the Cymbidiums in the garage at night but they're probably still seeing 40s in there. A lot of them are due for watering. Is it better if they stay on the dry side? Should I water as normal? Or, does the answer depend on the species in question?

I have an assortment: Cymbidiums, my super Phalaenopsis (I have 3 that don't seem phased so far, all the others had to come back inside), Zygopetalum, Zygonisia, Paphiopedalum, Dendrobium nobilis type, Aliceara, Bratonia, Oncidium, and several other intergenerics.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Assuming your plants are in good shape, and not dehydrated, you should be able to safely wait for a warm-up. A well-hydrated Phalaenopsis with a good root system can safely go a week or two without more water, especially in cool weather.

Phals that are watered while cold will be more prone to bacterial and fungal problems, in my experience. I keep mentioning Phals because they are among the more temperature-sensitive of the plants you mentioned.

The Paph I would water before the medium dries out.

When you return to watering, just wait for temperatures that are close to the warm part of the day to water.