When and what types do you take outside?
 

I tend to wait until the tree in my backyard has quite a bit of leaves creating a good shaded canopy, and for the night temperatures to be in the upper 60's to low 70's. I then slowly take them into the outdoor light by leaving them on my enclosed back porch for about a week or two before moving them closer to their destinations.

These are the orchids I take out: my many Oncidium alliance orchids, 2 Phaius', a Phaicalanthe (sp?), 5 Phal's (placed under my stairwell so they do not get water on them), a Bulbophyllum, 3 Dendrobiums, a Stanhopea wardii, a Cymbidium, Ludiscia discolor and a Zygopetallum (sp?) that go out.

I leave my two Paph's and my new cool growing mini's from the Andes inside. However, perhaps this is the reason why my Paph's have never re-bloomed for me. I also intend to leave my new intermediate growing masdie's indoors as it can get upwards of 100F here in St. Louis, MO.

The cattleya alliance and everything in it, oncidiums, miltonias, dendrobiums, Iwannagara, degarmoaras and just about everything I have. Low light plants on the screened in-porch, light lovers hung from low branches where they get six hours of early light and then bright light for the rest of the day, intermediate light lovers bright light the whole day.

Here in Lower NY state, I'll put mine out when the night time temps are over 55. Usually the 1ST or 2ND week of June. My Paphs thrive outside, you may want to think about putting yours out. If the temps are going to stay in the 90's for several days, I'll move them into the breezeway so they don't bake. I just got some Masdies this past fall, and the nice ladies at J&L said not to put them out, the nighttime temps in our area are just a tad too high. I grow them in the basement under lights, so it's not a big deal to keep at 55 or 60 at night.

Bill

correct spelling: Phaiocalanthe, Zygopetalum

here in central California:
Cymbidium, Neofinetia, Sarcochilus, Paphiopedilum, Orchis, Pterostylis, Maxillaria, Lockhartia, Epipactis, Oeceoclades, Cynorkis, Calanthe, Phaius, Lycaste, Bletilla, Dendrobium kingianum, and a few Cattleyas stay outside year round (the terrestrials are planted in sheltered places near the house, and I'm planning on mounting a few of the epiphytes on trees)

Phals, Vandas, Isochilus, Neobenthamia, various Angraecoids, and most of my cattleys stay inside for the winter, before going outside in late spring through early fall. (when temps are consistently above 45F)

I try to keep everything well watered when temps start to get above 100F

I live in east central Florida so I leave mine out year round under a big shefflera tree and I have walls from the house on the east & south. Phals, oncidium, dendrobium, enclilia, catts & several types of catt hybrids. My phals are blooming now.

Tim Abbott

I am planning on putting my cattleya's, a few dendrobiums, and oncidiums.

99.99999% of my collection is outside. I grow Laelias, catts, myrmecophila, ummm.......chysis (one) and slowly started getting into dendrobium and encyclia species)

The only things that are inside are my phals (most of which are in my office) my species phal (which is at home) and my eulophiella elizabethae seedlings (also inside my house).

Very interesting. This is a good subject as I have been wondering as well if I should take some of my orchids outside for the summer. What do you when it rains? Right now in Bay Area, CA it is predicted to rain for next two weeks. I know its a little too early to take orchids out now but it could rain during the summer. Do you have some sort of cover for the orchids outside?

Last year was my first experience putting orchids outside. I have to say they absolutely flourished!

I kept my phal's protected though so no water would get on them. But otherwise I didn't really care that much. I'm starting to wonder if that assumption was wrong.

Paul,
I'm not sure where you are located, so it's difficult to advise.
Here in S. Florida I try to keep Phals inside if the minimum temperature is going to be below 60 F (if it's 55-58 in fall, that helps set spikes, so they're outside) Bulbo's come in if it's going to be below 55F.
Cattleyas simply get a poly sheet over them unless it's going to be below about 45 F.

Using the same parameters could work as you put plants outside in cooler climates...

Being outside is a huge benefit, so with care I'd maximize the time your plants spend out there...