catts temperature crisis - Orchid Board

Autumn Child · #1 07-31-2010, 12:36 PM

I am having problems with temperature lately. The day temperature is shoots above 38C (over 100F) and the night temperature is 32C (over 90F) with 80% humidity. I grow most of my orchid outside in the apartment balcony with partial shade. There is always breeze blowing in the area but even the breeze felt like sauna steam. My question is can my catts (walkeriana, nobilior, sincorana and triumphal coronation) survive this temperature for a month? what should i do so that i can still grow them outside? I will be growing them indoors in the winter and i want to maximize their growing time outside during spring summer and fall. I mist them every morning but i doubt that is enough. please advice.

Eyebabe · #2 07-31-2010, 01:59 PM

Are they near an electrical outlet where you can put an outdoor fan?

johnsaquatics · #3 07-31-2010, 07:56 PM

As long as you can keep them shaded and keep air movement up you should be fine.

catwalker808 · #4 07-31-2010, 11:36 PM

I have never grown in SH, but I think that there are a few concerns with your current situation. First, if your day temperatures are over 100 degrees consistently, you should shade fairly heavily from the sun (if direct light hits your balcony). Not only the plants, but concrete areas which will reflect the light & heat, as well as storing the heat for a long time. In nature during the warm season, C. walkeriana & C. nobilior experience heavy rainfall & heavy leaf cover from tree canopies. So even if it is hot, plants grow actively.

I have found that during the summer months, these plants need extra shading &, certainly, extra watering. Don't just mist in the morning, drench everything. Plants & roots will dry out in a few hours.

A second concern for your plants is that they are not only getting very high temperatures day & night, but the temperatures are relatively constant ... it is over 90 degrees day & night. When it is too hot during the day, these plants will shut down to preserve moisture supply. Then at night, when it is cooler, the plants will resume activity. If it is above 90 during the day, it is favorable to have about a 10-15 degree drop at night. Your natural conditions are not providing this temperature differential right now. Your plants will survive, but they won't love your conditions during mid-summer

I would suggest a few things. If you can cool things down eve a little during the day, that will help. Make sure your plants get enough water. Another way to cool you plant ... during this very hot period, is to drench your pot in the afternoon to flush out the warm water in the bottom reservoir. Water in a pot on your balcony during the day is much warmer than water from your tap. Mist your balcony as well as your plants. The fresh water & the subsequent evaporation will assist in cooling. Your air may have 80% humidity, but the moisture in the air is 90+ degrees ambient temperature. Freshwater evaporating in your breeze will have a cooling effect.

Since it is very warm, you have a good breeze & an outdoor situation, also mist your plants heavily in the evening. This will cool them down even more & help them to recharge during their active time.

When summer moves on, your temps will become cooler. Then you will certainly have a day/night temp differential. At that time, your sh system should function fairly passively.

Autumn Child · #5 08-01-2010, 12:28 AM

thanks for the advice everyone. unfortunately i do not have electrical outlet in my balcony. I will definitely try drenching my balcony more.

since i am growing sh, i can certainly drench the plant, but this mean i have to drench them with fertilized water and increase my cost. I ussually drench them only once a week to refresh the water reservoir. The only upside is that the sun is not very strong here due to fog, cloud and smog. Direct morning sun in a clear day only measures up to slightly above 3700 foot candle (for only2-3 hours). the average day time light only measures up to above 2500 foot candle since we get very little clear sky. Should I still move them to a more shaded area?

I wonder if it will be better to move them indoors for one month until the temperature gets cooler? Indoor i have artificial lights complementing natural sunlight in a north west facing window that gets direct sunlight from 2-6pm. I also have a fan that gets turned on 24/7. temperature indoors is about 28 degree C day and night with maximum 2 degree C temperature diference. please advice.

In addition, I have talked to the taiwanese grower that sells me these plants. I told them about my condition and they told me not to be too worried. they say the plant can stand much harsher condition in nature where they come from. I wanted my plant to thrive not only to survive. i told them weather i should move them indoors and they say its better to just leave them outside.

Bolero · #6 08-01-2010, 02:10 AM

That is a bit high, I don't think they you will kill them as long as there is air movement and maybe mist them in the mornings between watering. I think you should be ok.

Nico · #7 08-01-2010, 03:12 AM

I have the same problem here. On my balcony is also a sauna: over 30C during the day. Sometimes 38C....

Some species are fine, but I have to mist them a lot and water frequently. They are growing a lot even in these condition. The advantage I have is the cooler nights: below 30C.

If you see signs of severe dehydration, than is a reason to bring them inside. But because you growing them in s/h, from my point of view, they will be fine. I have a catt in s/h outside and it is very happy.