Growing outdoors in Southern England

[Kaykay]

Hi!
Does anyone else grow anything other than Hardies outdoors in my part of the world? I'm experimenting with a cymbidium (got for £1 from local florist after mothers' day as it had finished blooming, but otherwise healthy plant) and an M&S Oncidium NOID (assuming hybrid vigor!) I put them out today, but haven't got a shade for them, so they really will be watered whenever it rains- about once a day at the moment. Temps are a minimum of 8C/ 46F at night right now. I chose these as they can both take quite high light (South West), and lower temps. If I had a way of shading them on the flat roof outside my apartment, I'd also try a Restrepia or a Masdevallia and maybe a NOID Miltoniopsis. (That said, I think I'll put the Mltps outside at somepoint as a trial run.) I'm planning on seeing how they do over the summer months, then bringing the Onc inside maybe September time, and leaving the Cym a little longer.
I'd love to hear anyone else's experience with these or any other genera. Please also do tell me if you think I'm crazy- I'm not too attached to these plants, but I'd also quite like them to survive!!!
Kay
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[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

That Onc will not stand a chance in those kinds of conditions.

You're better off with the Cymbidium.

If you like Oncs that are cool growing, try Cyrtochilum spp.

[RosieC]

I'm trying a Cym outside over the spring/summer/autum but I plan to move it in to cool greenhouse over the winter (which I plant to heat enough to keep off the frost). My grandma is in Nottingham and she also has Cyms in the greenhouse over the winter but she left the door open on one of the really cold days this winter and the cyms all survived it.

Cyps are meant to be fine outside all year, in fact some of them may need COLDER winters than we get. I've not tried them yet though.

I'm growing a Masdi and plan to get more, but again I plan to have them in a green house with a heater to keep off the frosts over the winter, they will be outside in a shaded spot for the summer though.

[epiphyte78]

Not sure if you saw this but for anybody that hasn't... here's a thread that has some relevant information...

When do you put your Orchids outside in the UK

Mods...maybe that thread should be moved to the outdoor category?

Personally, in those conditions I would definitely mount the Oncidium and probably even the Cymbidium. For the Oncidium I would mount it on a vertically oriented and more smooth textured mount. For example, here's a photo of a Dendrobium nobile keiki outdoors in Ireland. For the Cymbidium I'd try a horizontally oriented wooden plank or branch...probably without any moss as well.

People are more likely to kill most orchids from over-watering...rather than from under-watering...so it's generally safer to err on the side of under-watering. However, with those temps...and rain everyday...even having those orchids mounted without any moss isn't erring on the side of under-watering. But...I wouldn't be at all surprised if they made it. I've seen quite a few photos of cold damaged, generally temperature tolerant orchids that had been growing outdoors...and most, if not all, had been growing in pots.

Regarding the Oncidium's cold tolerance...I have around a dozen NOID Oncidiums and have yet to lose one from our winter temps and occasional rain. Sometimes it can rain for an entire week during winter but my orchids (all of which are mounted) even seem to perk up a bit...perhaps because they appreciate the quality of the rain water compared to the tap water that they usually receive. Andy Orchids mentioned to me once that good quality water (like rain water) can help improve the cold tolerance of an orchid.

[RosieC]

Epiphyte, I've moved the other thread. It was actually me that asked that question in the beginners area but I agree I got it in the wrong place

[Kaykay]

WOW!
After radio silence, it seems that a load of people want to grow outdoors in my part of the world.
As an update, the Cym is thriving- 3 new growths since it went outside. I brought the Onc back in for a while, following advice here, but it's gone outside again last week when our temperatures really picked up and the daily drizzle stopped. So far, so happy orchid.
I don't have a garden, so they are all in troughs on the flat roof of my downstairs neighbour, so pests not so much a problem as if they were right down there- they will get a dousing before coming back in again though.
With temps reaching 18C/ 64F an experimental Epicattleya has also gone out a few days ago- but is on a strict watching. (Unlike the near-freebee NOID Cym and Onc this one was a proper- though not that expensive- buy.)

Rosie, let me know how yours go!!
Kay
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[Triffid]

Originally Posted by Kaykay

I don't have a garden, so they are all in troughs on the flat roof of my downstairs neighbour, so pests not so much a problem as if they were right down there- they will get a dousing before coming back in again though.

Would it be possible for you to use a Window Box or similar?
A great way for people with no or small gardens to add extra plants, unless you have those windows that only open at the top.
Just a thought

[Kaykay]

I thought I'd give you an update 6 weeks in. Well.... I've clearly broken every rule in the orchid keeping book and the outdoor orchids have never been happier! Even after the coldest May on record. So, the Epicat. Plicaboa has 3 new growths, Den. chrysotoxum has 3 new growths, NOID Cym has 4, the NOID Oncidium is growing happy, and new growth is rooting, and Epi Plastic Doll has new growth. Oncidium ornithorhynchum is happy and growing and (please don't shoot me for orchid keeping heresy) my on-the-verge-of-death Den phal type has put out 2 new growths. I've also had a Vanda Blue Magic out and it has put out a whole load of new roots, 2 new leaves, and is tinged with the happy vanda purple leaf tips.
So. There we are. I only brought them in on 2 nights where the temp was due to go down to 4C. Day time temps now are in the 17-20C mark, and going down to 12 at night. With average 80-90% humidity over night and 50% during the day.
I hope the experience helps others!
Kay
x

PS How cool is it, I'm growing a vanda OUTDOORS in the UK (admittedly one with about 80% coerulea in it, but still!)

[epiphyte78]

Thanks for the update...glad to hear that your orchids are responding nicely to growing outside.

Here's a really good article on the subject...Grow cool, grow outside!.

Also, I just ran across a reference to the Tasmanian Tree Fern (Dicksonia antarctica) growing outdoors year around in milder parts of Britain. Here's a photo of it covered in snow. This tree fern is native to Australia...occurring in parts of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.

There are a few Australian epiphytic/lithophytic orchids that probably share the same habitats as Dicksonia antarctica. For example...Dockrillia striolata grows all the way down to Tasmania. It would be interesting to know if any of the Australian rock and tree orchids are as cold tolerant as the Tasmanian Tree Fern.

[peterson]

If your weather is mild during the day and cools down at night, you can grow Cymbidium in your garden.Its is very best.Its very best growing in this type of weather.You have try to grow this.