Moving orchids outdoor
 

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

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.

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!

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.

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.