Should I back off on water in saucer??

[No-Pro-mwa]

So we are having very cold winter weather right now. Big storm yesterday blowing all day and also today. -2 F wind chills much higher. My house is not the warmest, we try and warm up the air as it passes trough and way yesterday I did not put more water in my Les Dor (what ever ) phrag, will look it up if I need to. But sense it is so cold I am think of not putting any in for a while, is this OK? It got 52 F in that window last night and I am sure it will again tonight and that's with an electric heater on pointing at them but the area is not that small.

Am worried about all my orchids dropping buds. Wish my seed mat was working... bad mat ....bad mat.

[billc]

I would think your sense is right. While low 50's probably won't harm the plant any, it's not using much water at those temps. Keeping water in the saucer might water log the mix. I don't have all that much experience with phrags, but I find common sense usually works.

Bill

[Leafmite]

We live where it is almost always breezy and often windy so I know what you mean by trying to heat the air passing through. When the wind is howling outside, there isn't much we can do to keep our home warmer. Until someone that is an expert on phrags replies, I think you can safely go with your instincts and Bill's advice. Of all my plants and orchids, I only have a single exception to the 'no need to sit in a pan of water in the cold house' rule.

[Bud]

Id boil stew or make soup and keep the kettle boiling at low....no need for humidity trays

[No-Pro-mwa]

Originally Posted by Bud

Id boil stew or make soup and keep the kettle boiling at low....no need for humidity trays

well I did that yesterday, made a wonderful beef stew. Man is it good. I had just gotten a new humidifier and got it running but I turned it off as well because I thought that was just making things colder in there.

Thanks Bill I think it would be best I still didn't fill it up today. I may just run water through it tomorrow but till it gets warmer I don't think I will let it set in it.

Leafmight I know the wind has now stopped and it is warming up in here,

[Leafmite]

Good to hear!

[MrHappyRotter]

In the interest of being cautious, it wouldn't hurt to leave the saucer under your phrag empty. You'll still want to water it thoroughly every day or maybe every 2 - 3 days. The lows you mentioned won't hurt the plant, I know they can handle temps in the low 50's from personal experience. Phrag Les Dirouilles (assuming that's what you've got) does have some caudatum in the background, and the caudatum group tends to be less tolerant of wet conditions, though overall, I'm assuming your plant is actually a water lover.

When you water, make sure to do it early in the day, so you know that any water that does make it onto the foliage has plenty of time to dry off before it gets dark and cold. Also, if it warms up considerably during the day, you have much less to worry about.

That being said, in years past, I've left numerous phrags outside late into the year. They've been subjected to night time lows in the low 50's and upper 40's without issues. And since I grow most of them with water in the saucer, they would have stayed wet (at least the roots would have) even in the low temps. I never had any issues. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but I also don't think you'd have issues if you were to leave water in the saucers, again, assuming the daytime temps warm up quite a bit, like into the 60's or 70's.

[Bud]

Some Phrags are found submerged in water on river banks during the monsoon rains and the temps can also get to be low 50's ....as long as there is no frost = I don't think you must worry in killing it. I try to maintain my Phrags moist but not wet, in temps not above 90F and not below 50F....an electric humidifier is fine it brings temps up rather than down....dry moisture in the atmosphere in winter creates snow whereas humid atmosphere create rain or wet snow....

[No-Pro-mwa]

Thank you all. The sun is shining to day yay! So it will get warm in the windows, I am going to flush it today and put water in the saucer.