Adjusting Orchids to outdoor life
 

This will be the first summer that I have anything but Phals. I plan to put cym's,catt's, and some dendrobium outside for the summer. How slowly do I need to acclimate them to the new conditions. My porch is in full sun for most of the day until 3:00 approx. If I start with 1hr for a week or so and then 2hrs and so on, is that too slow? I'd like to hear some opinions. Thanks.

Chris
If you place your plants in a shaded area and slowly move them to a brighter area over about 10 days you should not have any problems.
Here in Minnesota I put my plants outside around Memorial Day and bring them back into the House around Labor Day. Cymbidiums will go out in April because they like the cool temps and stay out into mid November. Depending on our fall temps the other orchids could stay out until mid September. I even put my Phals outside. The fresh air and brighter light makes all the plants grow better.

Jayme

I'm itching to get my plants outside this summer too. The temps are still too un-predictable and a bit chilly to leave them out there over night. But, I am putting some of them out for several hours during the day. I'm doing it gradually, slowly increasing the time they are outside... so far so good! :) They are already happier.

I hear ya, I cant wait either, I just wish we had more of the climate you have out there on the left coast! Jersey sucks...well except for the beach.

I leave my Cymbidiums and Dendrobiums outside for nearly the entire year. the only time I'll bring them in is when we're expecting severe frost. the rest of my orchids are gradually spending more time outside.

I've never heard central California described as the "left coast". I'm about 140 miles from the coast here in central California. It's hot and dry here for most of the year, and it's a 3 hour drive to the nearest beach.

Oops...I didn't think about that. You mean not everybody out there is on the coast? Bummer! :biggrin:

Here in NY I have heard California called the "left coast". Due to the fact it's on the left side of the U.S. map. I guess we're the "right coast".

interesting. I've heard of California being called "the west coast" (and New York "the east coast")
I think it would be a lot easier to grow orchids if I was actually near the coast, instead of in the desert.

well, that definately puts me outside the "Left Coast" - central California is primarily republican.

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

In regards to summering your 'chids outside...I have thought of buying a cheap little pop up green house so that the squirrels and raccoons won't try and eat them if I put them outside, but then don't you have a lot of problems with bugs throughout the summer and when you are ready to bring them in with the rest of the collection that stayed indoors?

the feral cats keep the squirrels out of my orchids. you do tend to have more of a problem with bugs when you keep them outside. I use bayer 3-in-1 spray before bringing them in, and keep snail and slug bait out the whole time they're outside.

Kip, What do you do to provide humidity for them during the summer?

i have humidity trays, and turn on the misting system when it gets really hot.