Moving orchids outdoor

[Dani8]

The time is finally here, temperatures are around 20C (68 F) during the day and 10C (50F) at night. So I want to move a part of my orchids to the balcony because they did well outside in the past. They go in a north West corner with sun shining on them only from 4-5pm.

I have been tracking the temperatures and eagerly waiting for this day for months.

Now I want to ask you guys if you think it's ok or should I wait for even warmer weather.

My orchids that go outside are mostly cattleyas, dendrobium kingianum, maxillaria tenuifolia, dendrochilum glumaceum magnum and convalariforme.

I also want to ask what temperature should be outside for following orchids :
- Pecteilis radiata
- vanilla
- Oncidium twinkle
- paphiopedilum hybrid

[Ray]

Personally, I think your temperatures are fine.

I moved my plants outdoors a couple of weeks ago when it looked like the lows were going to by as you specified.

We had one night last week when it briefly dipped a few degrees lower, but that was not an issue.

[Roberta]

I think you might want to wait a bit on the vanilla. The other three (and the general collection) should be fine. Actually, the Pecteilis radiata can be outside at much lower temperatures - it comes from China, Japan, and Taiwan at elevations up to 1500 m. It actually wants a real winter chill, even significant frost.

I got a few tubers of it last year, they grew not so well, I put them in the refrigerator for about 4 months in a small plastic bag with just a bit of damp sphagnum. They have sprouted almost immediately after being potted and put outside. I am hopefull... Where I live, that's the only way that I can give them the chill that they need. These are temperate zone (not tropical!) mountain wildflowers!

[Dani8]

Thank you all for your replies.
We had snow at the beginning of the week so I even brought the cymbidium indoors but the weather is changing and should stay above the mentioned temperature for the next two weeks so I want to put them out.

[Subrosa]

I grow Pecteilis radiata in the ground here in zone 6. We typically have cold, snowy winters with temperatures below freezing much of the time, and maximum lows around -10°F or -25°C.