Orchids Outdoors

[dianecty]

Hi guys! Which orchids can I put outdoors?

I have read books where they say you cannot put orchids outdoors but I think that's weird bec that's where they are from!

What about seedlings in sphag? Can I put them outside too?

I live in CA.

[Dorothy]

I have moved your post to Outdoor Gardening .. as this forum will answer your question
Don't forget to check out the other threads made here - http://www.orchidboard.com/community/outdoor-gardening/

[Royal]

I'm in TX and I put most of mine outside as soon as I can. This can be at different times depending on the genus, and some come back in when it gets hot. You do have to be careful as conditions outside can present some problems. Sunburn, bugs, too much rain, birds stealing your potting media for nests, etc, etc. For this reason I'd keep tender young seedlings indoors. A seedling is barely a meal for a hungry slug.
Some will tell you to never move them outdoors for all these reasons, but my indoor culture is lacking. Winters indoors means low humidity and very low light for most. As soon as I get them outside they perk up big time! Just my two cents.

[Orchidophile]

I live in Ohio and I put mine out for the summer and they love it even though it is only a few months. My indoor culture is lacking also so the outside is like rehab.

[epiphyte78]

It really depends on where in California you live. The more south and/or west you live the greater the variety of orchids that you will be able to grow outdoors year around.

If you happen to live in Southern California there's going to be a seminar on Outdoor Orchid Growing in Southern California this Sunday in Costa Mesa.

[thakshila smith]

Sunburn, bugs, too much rain, birds stealing your potting media for nests, etc, etc. For this reason I'd keep tender young seedlings indoors. A seedling is barely a meal for a hungry slug.
agreed to you Royal.
bugs are there always.

[Junebug]

Originally Posted by dianecty

Hi guys! Which orchids can I put outdoors?

I have read books where they say you cannot put orchids outdoors but I think that's weird bec that's where they are from!

What about seedlings in sphag? Can I put them outside too?

I live in CA.

I live in Central FL and grow all of mine outdoors or on a screened porch and only bring them in if the temp, gets too low or if a hurricane blows through. Make sure to choose the right plant for your climate. An orchid that requires cool temperatures would not be the proper choice for hot climates. Be careful to never set your pot directly on the surface of the ground...It's an open invitation to scale and other insects. Check your plants daily for signs of infestation. Also be observant of too much moisture from rainfall. It's also a good idea to monitor how much sunlight your plants will be exposed to before placing them outside and then acclimate them slowly to the light...too much and they will get burnt. I have no experience with seedlings.

[dianecty]

I live in San Jose, CA which is in the South Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is around 10 degrees F warmer than SF. Normal summer weather would be around lin the 80sF. Nighttime temp is around 60-65F I think but could go down to 40-50F in the winter time. We are having a cold spell now. Our high for the past 2 days has only been 64F. TH & F, we will get around 72F high. It is too dark in my house and now after work, I set all them out to get some sunshine and air movement. I also turn on the lights when I am not here. But having lights on all the time gets to be expensive.

[silkus]

Dear Dianecty, I live in So. Cal. and I grow many temperature tolerant cattleyas, laelias and of course cymbidiums outside. My winter temperature lows are usually get no lower than 35° once and awhile. Although 2 winters ago we did have several nights in the high 20's. Some of my outside orchids are protected by shade cloth and some are in my carport, but some of the cymbidiums were not protected and they did fine. The ones in flower where brought into the carport as frost will injure the flowers. Check out the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate web site, as they offer many varieties of temperature tolerant orchids.

[epiphyte78]

Here are a few orchids for you to consider...

Coelogyne cristata
Cuitlauzina pendula
Dendrobium falcorostrum
Dendrobium gracilicaule
Dendrobium kingianum
Dendrobium moniliforme
Dendrobium nobile
Dendrobium speciosum
Dendrobium striolatum
Encyclia mariae
Epidendrum parkinsonianum
Holcoglossum flavescens
Laelia albida
Laelia anceps
Laelia furfuracea
Laelia gouldiana
Lycaste aromatica
Neofinetia falcata
Oncidium flexuosum
Pholidota recurva
Sedirea japonica
Sophronitis cernua
Vanda coerulea
Vanda cristata

It's by no means a comprehensive list and it can definitely be expanded if you can provide your orchids with some shelter or if you are interested in terrestrial orchids. Over head shelter... either a thick canopy of leaves, shade cloth, etc can help prevent cold air from settling on the orchids. My orchids are in a tall shade shelter that's in the open with 50% shade cloth over head and trellis for the walls. The wind really whips through there and beats up the orchids. I've visited other outdoor growers in the area and have noticed that people's orchids tend to do better if they are in relatively narrow walk way between one wall of the house and a wall of the property with shade cloth over head.

To check and see which of your orchids or future orchids might do well outdoors I recommend spending $1 to purchase the culture sheet from the orchid culture website. It's also helpful to ask the members of your local orchid society which of their orchids they grow outdoors year around. Although, in my experience it seems most growers prefer to err on the side of over cautious when it comes to temperature tolerance.