COLD snap coming- here's my plan, any suggestions are REALLY welcome

[Leafmite]

As long as the temperature is over fifty most of the time, you should be okay. The longer that the temperatures are under forty-five degrees, the worse the outcome. So, even a few degrees will make a difference. Vanilla, Phal-type Dendobiums and anything with aclandiae or a good deal of dowiana...and any other warm-hot growers are the must vulnerable.

[DirtyCoconuts]

I am bit lucky. It’s still at 53 and sunrise is in an hour and 20...

I filled many buckets and 5gal jugs. Surrounded the fire pit and heater and just ran both for an hour.

Gonna go sleep a bit more and then fire them back up whenever the daughter wakes me

Hope it’s a sunny day!

[Orchid Whisperer]

I'm a bit "late to the party", but FWIW, I have a Bulbophyllum lobbii that last year, as I was moving plants inside before a cold snap, was accidentally left hanging on it's mount, outdoors. Temperatures dipped to 29 or 30 F over night. There was no protection for it at all.

I don't know how, but the plant survived, with no worse damage than a few lost leaves. I'd never recommend such treatment, but sometimes orchids can survive more adverse conditions than we think.

[Orchidtinkerer]

I think they will be fine for 2 days as long as they warm up plenty during the day

Ps I thought you had roofing panels to stop rain.

[Keysguy]

Supposed to get down in mid 50's here tonight.
Can't believe I didn't think to bring my thermal longjohns down this year.

Chilly (63) and windy now after hitting 84 yesterday. My orchids should all be fine but with this chill I really wish we hadn't had the heavy thunder storms we got last night as the front came through. I would have preferred my plants be a little drier in the cold but the wind will probably help dry them out some and it is sunny at least for the most part.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Tinkerer, I do and. They were very helpful I can only cover the lath house but I also have several other growing areas. The lath house is bone dry so that is great. The other plants all look ok but I know cold damage is slow to appear. I am firing up the heaters as I type

[Roberta]

DC, I think you dodged a bullet... 53 deg F shouldn't hurt anything. Maybe you can work in a little nap today!

[DirtyCoconuts]

The predictions are down to 48 next two nights. I’ll keep the heaters pumping while i can and let the plants toughen up a bit as WW says!!

[Akhenaten]

Today outside is -32F, few days ago was -42F. My bonsai Magnolias stay at +36F - +39F. My orchids have +55F - +68F. I use electro heaters.

---------- Post added at 02:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:00 PM ----------

Fifty Shades of Frost









In my City today

[DirtyCoconuts]

Wow. I thought they were black and white until I saw that red van

Stay warm, friend