Odontoglossum Temperatures

[Gthumbz89]

Would temperatures of 75-83 degrees year round work for getting these ones to flower, or do they really require the cooler temperatures to grow and bloom properly. Giving your growing conditions would help tremendously in my decision to grow one. Thanks guys

[RandomGemini]

It depends.

I just picked up a brassia hybrid that was bred specifically for being grown indoors. There is so much variety in this alliance that I would bet that you could find one that will grow well in your conditions. Just sit down and map out what they are, then find some plants that fit.

[Optimist]

Ondontoglossums are more difficult than some intermediate kin. Am I right in thinking the miltonias like it hotter? I would talk to some one at Clown Aley or a Florida Nursery like CLAN and see what hey would reccommend. Clown Alley, in Pasadena, Texas near Houston, seems to sell plants that do well in the south-- hot and very mild temps in winter like USDA zone 8,9,10.. I am in zone 6a to7, and just put the orchids outside in October, and they budded and bloomed several months later. It is 5 months later and I still have developing buds on my oncidium hybrid.

[My Green Pets]

From the website of New Vision Orchids

ODONTOGLOSSUM AND ODONT CULTURE

By Russ Vernon

Odontoglossums and Odontiodas orchids have a much undeserved reputation as being cold growing and difficult to grow. I find this to be largely untrue. I want to briefly describe our growing techniques so you can enjoy these colorful orchids, which rival stained glass for colors and multiplicity of patterns.

Temperature:

Odontoglossums grow in the cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador. They do enjoy being cool at night but tolerate much warmer conditions during the day. Our summertime temperatures run 65 up to 85 during the day and we try to cool them down to below 67 at night if possible. They tolerate nighttime lows as high as 70 for short periods of time (several days to a week). In the winter, we heat to 65, warmer with sun, and allow nighttime temperatures to drop to 50.

We hand fog (mist) them sometime in the morning to mimic the cloud forest mornings.

Potting Media:

Even though they have pseudobulbs, Odonts do not like to dry out and prefer a moist but aerated growing mix. We use coir (ground coconut fiber, it looks like peat moss) at 50%, perlite at 25%, and fine charcoal pieces at 25%. The coir fibers last for three years and resist breaking down.

Water and Fertilizer:

Under our conditions with good air movement, we water Odonts in 4”+ pots, twice a week, once a week in extended cloudy winter weather. Smaller pots are watered three times a week, or twice in dark weather. We use the Michigan State formula fertilizer at about 25% strength on every watering and use no fertilizer one week a month. Our water is either rain water or RO (reverse osmosis) water.

Light and Summer Cooling:

Some cooling tricks to try: Lightly mist the foliage in the evening but not to the point of runoff. Place the Odont pot in a larger clay pot and stuff sphagnum moss around the Odont pot to fill the gap. Keep the moss moist. In both cases, evaporation helps cool the plant. Grow them in “cool pots” designed with a water reservoir and walls to be highly evaporative.

In the summer, in a greenhouse, place them below the benches where it is cooler, or close to the swamp cooler or wet wall if you have them. Increase the shade over them although Odonts like Cattleya levels of light.

If you grow orchids outside during the summer, move the Odonts inside when nighttime temperatures will stay above 70 for more than four or five days in a row.

Basement Growing:

Growing them in the basement under lights where it is usually cooler and more humid works well, too.

We hope this helps you grow wonderful and showy odontoglossum and related orchids!

[Gthumbz89]

Thanks everyone!!! Sounds like the day time temps are doable, but the night time temperatures are unobtainable for me as my house stays around 75 degrees. perhaps I should stick with cattleyas and phals. disappointing as that may be.

[WhiteRabbit]

There are many intergeneric hybrids containing Odont. that should be fine with warmer temps.

[james mickelso]

My odonts and rossios bloom every year and I live here at the beach in SoCal. Try the moss in a larger pot kept wet. Brings the temp down inside the pot by 10*f. Look up the time of year they are setting spikes. That is when they need a couple weeks of cooler temps. Mine bloom in winter. Big yellow jacket blooms. I would get a couple and learn to grow them. I'll bet they'll flower for you. Many different hybrids now. Be brave.