What should be protected from low temps?

[TOMMYMIAMI]

So first cold front passing. Since this year's weather is really really strange, I wanted to check what should I cover or take inside, in the case we will get some severe cold nights here in South Florida. I am not concerned about tonight, the lowest will be morning with 53, but we may get some colder nights in December and January. I have never had such a variety and species as I do now, so I would appreciate any tips what should be protected from my collection and at what minimum temps? Also, does it get as cold on the 5th floor balcony as it gets at the ground? Many thanks. Here are my babies, and sorry for capital letters I did not know at the time when I started this, I will work on retyping it when time allows

PRIOR TO JUNE 2013 my balcony had:

Ascofinetia Cherry Blossom
Brassia Rex
Brassavola Little Star
Bulbophyllum Medusae
Bulbophyllum Rufinum
Bulbophyllum Sheryl Kurizaki
Bulbophyllum Shirley
Blc. Lawless Walkuri
Cattleyas (NOIDS)
Den. Anosmum
Den. Goldschmidtianum
Den. Bracteosum
Den. Jaquelyn Thomas
Dendrochilum Filiforme
Dockrillia Wassellii
Epicattleya Rene Marques
Epidendrum Marbel Kanda
Oncidiums (NOID)
Paphiopedilum Gratrixianum
Phals (do not even count how many)
Scaphyglottis Prolifera
Schomburgkia
Spathoglottis
Vanda (NOID)

Since July of this year, here is the list of added babies:

Aerides Houlletiana
Ancistrochilus rothschildianus
Ascocentrum miniatum
Bc. Anne Hamilton
Blc. Ports of paradise
Blc. Cornerstone 4th of July
Blc. Seto rainbow paradise
Bulbophyllum blumei
Bulbophylllum Pardolatum
Bulbophylllum Rosary Beads
Bulbophylllum Ambrosia
Bulbophyllum ecornutum
Bulbophyllum lasiochilum
Bulbophylllum Macranthum
Bulbophylllum Daerei
Bulbophylllum Patens
Bulbophylllum Smitinandii
Bulbophyllum sp. Sumatra
Catasetum Pileatum
Catasetum saccatum lita 4N
Cattleya liliputana
Cattleya Luteola
Cattleya morning glory X Hawaiian jewel
Cattleya Stellamizutaara
Chiloschista Ramifera
Cymbidium aloifolium
Cymbidium Hawaii Gold
Cymbidiella rhodochila
Den. Aggregatum
Den. Atroviolaceum
Den. amethystoglossum
Den. Crumenatum
Den. cucumerinum
Den. Faciferum
Den. Gatton Sunray
Den. Heterocarpum
Den. hercoglossum
Den. Kingianum
Den. lamyaiae
Den. loddigesii
Den. moschatum
Den. Nobile Red Emperor
Den. Nobile Oriental Smiles 'Butterfly"
Den. Nobile Super Ise
Den. Parishii
Den. Pequanum
Den. pendulum
Den. Siam
Den. Unicum
Dendrochilum propinguum
Dendrophylax Funalis
Dinema polybulbon
Diplocaulobim Stelliferum
Dockrillia linguiforme
Dockrillia Schoeninum
Dresslerella lasiocampa
Dyakia Hendersoniana
Encyclia Tampensis
Encyclia Cochleata
Epilaeliocattleya Charlie Brown
Eurychone Rotschildiana
Gastrochilus obliguus
Grammatophyllum Scriptum Citrinum
Habenaria Medusae
Habenaria repens
Haraella Retrocalla
Isabelia virginalis
Kefersteinia mystacina
Lepanthopsis Astrophora
Lepanthes calodictyon
Lepanthes Telipogoniflora
Leptotes Pohlitinocoi
Ludisia discolor
Macroclinium Manabinum
Masdevallia erinacea
Masdevallia Red Wing
Masdevallia Herradurae
Miltonidium Rosy Sunset
Monnierara Millenium Magic
Mormodes igneum
Myrmecophila Tibicinis
Oeceoclades Maculate
Oeoniella polystachys
Paphinia herrerae
Paphiopedilum Godefroyae
Paphiopedilum gratrixianum
Paraphalaenopsis Labukensis
Pelantheria insectifera
Phaius Tankervilliae
Phaius Flavus
Pleurothallis Liptifolia
Pleurothallis Prolifera
Pleurothallis Restrepia
Podangis Dactyloceras
Porpax lanaii
Psychilis Krugii
Renathera Akihito Emperor
Restrepia brachypus orange
Rhynchodenia Magic Wand
Rodriguezia batemanii
Sacoila paludicola
Ponthieva
Scaphosepalum Rapax
Seidenfadenia Mitrata
Schoenorchis Fragrans
Sobralia callosa
Solenangis Aphylla
Stellamizutaara Kelly Lea
Vanda Miss Joaquim
Vandachostylis Azure
Vascostylis Pine Rivers Orange
Zygonisia Blue Water Sailing

[WhiteRabbit]

How cold do you expect?

Cyms, Den kingianum can take a bit below freezing for short periods - tho buds should be protected from frost / freeze.

Phals should come in if you're unsure.

Hopefully others can advise on others.

[orchidsarefun]

wow, what a wide and varied list.
If I were you I would consider getting OrchidWiz which does list cultural requirements for all orchid species and most hybrids. All data is pulled from Baker sources.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Many thanks. I was looking for some advices from members here, more IN GENERAL, I heard from other growers here in Florida they take Vandas and Grammatophyllum first in when temps go under 55, Cattleyas under 50. We had some 53 last night but it was only early morning and not too long, so of course I did not move anything, however since I have really huge variety now, and orchids I have never had prior years, I may be moving or covering some when real cold fronts will pass, if any:-)
Regarding phals - never ever in 6 years of growing did I move phals, even when temps went for very short time under 50, all survived and thrived, so no worried about them at all! Dendrobiums do not worry me as well, and we really hardly ever have temps under 50 overnight.
I am also trying to figure out if the temperature at the 5th floor balcony is little bit higher than close to the ground???? I do remember always frost on the ground, but not at higher spots???
The only issue is wind when cold front passes, but yesterday there was not even wind, so I am sure all will be fine, my friends in Florida keys have all orchids outside, mostly mounted on the trees, that means never ever moving any, and the temperatures are pretty much the same like here in Miami:-)

---------- Post added at 03:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:00 AM ----------

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

How cold do you expect?

Cyms, Den kingianum can take a bit below freezing for short periods - tho buds should be protected from frost / freeze.

Phals should come in if you're unsure.

Hopefully others can advise on others.

Many thanks WhiteRabbitm it is never ever freezing here in Miami, happens up north in Florida, Orlando and up, but never here. There have only been 10 total days since 1895 when the temperature in Miami was 30 degrees or less. The last time it was that cold in Miami was on Christmas Day in 1989. There will be however few nights with temps close to 50, or maybe for few hours or over night even under 50, when cold front passes, however these are rare and will last only overnight, days will be always above 60.

[nikkik]

Tommy, I left most of my orchids out until the beginning of October, the night temps were low 40s and daytime temps were in the low 60s. I have many Catts and Vandas and none were damaged. I think for short periods most of your plants will be fine. I would just protect from cold wind, cold rain and freezing (I know you said Miami doesn't freeze, but who knows with this year's crazy weather).

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by nikkik

Tommy, I left most of my orchids out until the beginning of October, the night temps were low 40s and daytime temps were in the low 60s. I have many Catts and Vandas and none were damaged. I think for short periods most of your plants will be fine. I would just protect from cold wind, cold rain and freezing (I know you said Miami doesn't freeze, but who knows with this year's crazy weather).

Many thanks Nikkik, this is what I think, if there is no strong wind with the cold front, I am fine. I have never brought anything inside to protect it from the cold, but I did not have so many species before either. When real cold nights come, if they will, I can just put them into the boxes on the balcony floor and cover, that should protect them enough:-)

[Leafmite]

Get a clear plastic drop-cloth so that you can cover them if temps get in the high thirties or low forties. You can cover late in the evening and uncover early in the morning. It saves hauling all the plants inside and then back outside. For one or two nights, the orchids will be fine as long as the day temps are in the sixties.
We had a crazy summer with some nights in the upper thirties ('F) sprinkled throughout and all the orchids survived it, even the aerides that I forgot when temps dipped under thirty (it was under a tree and I didn't see it in the dark). Good luck!

[Rico13]

TOMMY, I am wondering, I get the impression that all of your orchids grow outside, year-round. Do you have anything in your house/apartment/etc. like racks to take them in if it gets too cold? Or do they just sit around until it gets warm enough to go back outside?

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Get a clear plastic drop-cloth so that you can cover them if temps get in the high thirties or low forties. You can cover late in the evening and uncover early in the morning. It saves hauling all the plants inside and then back outside. For one or two nights, the orchids will be fine as long as the day temps are in the sixties.
We had a crazy summer with some nights in the upper thirties ('F) sprinkled throughout and all the orchids survived it, even the aerides that I forgot when temps dipped under thirty (it was under a tree and I didn't see it in the dark). Good luck!

Thanks Leafmite, that's what I exactly need, Grammatophyllum can't be moved anyway, tightly wired to balcony corner, so I need something just to cover in the evening and uncover in the morning, the days are never ever under 50, ever, always in 60 and up, just late night/early morning drops are the worst:-)

---------- Post added at 02:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:32 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Rico13

TOMMY, I am wondering, I get the impression that all of your orchids grow outside, year-round. Do you have anything in your house/apartment/etc. like racks to take them in if it gets too cold? Or do they just sit around until it gets warm enough to go back outside?

Rico, everything outside, year round, I hate to take any inside, absolutely no space, and my hubby would really kill me, that's the only thing he would not breath through, all the lizards, spiders, bugs. However, as you could see, prior to this June my balcony really did not have any orchids that would not survive these few cold nights, so I did not even think about it, till now, when I know I have some that needs to be protected for that night or 2 if it comes:-) But my chids will have strong army drill, shivering outside, all, except when really cold front, under 50 will pass, that's when I will use something like cloth as suggested to cover them, other that that, sorry chids, enjoy Florida paradise to the fullest!

[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.