What should be protected from low temps?

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by peeweelovesbooks

Tommy,

FWIW, I leave everything outside, year round, EXCEPT my 2 vandas, the exotic shrub from Colombia (Which died but came back, thank goodness), the 2 phals and the seedlings. The "everything" includes schomburgkias, laelias, grammatophyllums, cattleyas, encyclias, etc. If it gets too windy I may cover them up with tarp but that's it.

Many thanks peewee, that's exactly my plan, I can take my few Vandacious inside, even the fact I think they should survive, as I mentioned, my friends in Key west have dozens of Vandas mounted on the trees, left outside even in cold nights, take seedlings, and cover Grammatophyllum. I am not really sure about phals - I know everyone mentions them here regarding cold temps, but these are my oldest orchids, staying outside non stop for last 5-6 years, and never ever had any issues, the opposite, normally blooming after cold winter:-) Everything else will just shake little bit outside till the day worm up:-)

[gravotrope]

Your phals will be fine down to low 40's providing they are DRY. I say this because in Miami, low 40's isn't going to last very long...more so closer to 50 if it is going to be a sustained cold for longer than a couple hours at night. also, wind direction and the direction your balcony faces come into play too. cold air is pretty much always going to come from N, W, or some combination thereof. so if your balcony faces south east, then the building you live in will be a barrier to protect them.

you may have some new plants that are from mountainous or more temperate regions that will never flower because it doesn't get cold enough. I have a Pleurothallis restrepioides and a Dendrobium kingianum that I never expect to do anything because it doesn't get cold enough here for them to flower, but there may be some tips to trick them that I don't know about. (I have heard some here in south florida grow and flower kingianum successfully, but have yet to hear how)

The most important thing for any plant is whether or not the medium is dry during the cold period.

I bring in all my vandas unless they're neofinetia hybrids, and my tolumnias and dendrochilum as well. more plants come in if they have new growths or aren't dry come nightfall.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by ovanoshio

Your phals will be fine down to low 40's providing they are DRY. I say this because in Miami, low 40's isn't going to last very long...more so closer to 50 if it is going to be a sustained cold for longer than a couple hours at night. also, wind direction and the direction your balcony faces come into play too. cold air is pretty much always going to come from N, W, or some combination thereof. so if your balcony faces south east, then the building you live in will be a barrier to protect them.

you may have some new plants that are from mountainous or more temperate regions that will never flower because it doesn't get cold enough. I have a Pleurothallis restrepioides and a Dendrobium kingianum that I never expect to do anything because it doesn't get cold enough here for them to flower, but there may be some tips to trick them that I don't know about. (I have heard some here in south florida grow and flower kingianum successfully, but have yet to hear how)

The most important thing for any plant is whether or not the medium is dry during the cold period.

I bring in all my vandas unless they're neofinetia hybrids, and my tolumnias and dendrochilum as well. more plants come in if they have new growths or aren't dry come nightfall.

Many thanks
so far I have some great luck with Pleurothallis and Restrepia growing outside and blooming for last 3 months non stop. Kingianum, will see, it was purchased from grower in Florida, so I do assume it may bloom. I know others as well blooming this Dendro. My wind comes usually only from south east, my balcony is protected from north west with wall, so there is never wind from that side. Funny I heard Dendrochilum actually loves cold drops and some even use ice to mimic:-) Will see:-)

[gravotrope]

I should pick up some of those then, I bet they are more intermediate than the typical pleuros.

I have a Dendrochilum glumaceum, which apparently gets cold since it can grow more than 6000 ft above sea level. I thought it was one of the more intermediate types but didn't look it up on IOSPE until just now...that place is the best.

[GardenTheater]

My outdoor furniture have covers on them where rain water accumulates. The second floor balcony gets more wind than our garden below. Last night, the rain water on the balcony froze from the wind chill on the balcony but it did not freeze on the ground where there is less wind. The answer to your question about temps higher up versus lower is...it depends. Cold and windy is worse than just cold. Good luck!