Sudden weather change! Need advice please
 

I have a wide range of orchids including Dendrobiums, Phals, Tolumnias, Oncidiums, Epidendrums, and Cattleyas. They are all outside for the summer. I know it is about time to bring them in for the winter but I think I might need to bring them in right NOW.

I just checked the weather and it looks like it is suddenly dropping tonight. The low is supposed to be 55 tonight but the high tomorrow is only 58 with a low of 50. I am afraid this will be WAY to much of a shock for them considering it hasn't been below 60 here yet. What do you think?? Shall I make a mad dash in the dark?

Dont panic. Orchids will die if it tastes frost.
50 degrees is not a shocker to the plants on your list. Some of your orchids need to feel the cold change to trigger blooms...
can you tell us exactly the area in the USa you belong? I mean the growing zone.

I am in Zone 7, North Carolina Piedmont area. It's been in the 80's and 90's since March with nothing lower than about 60 at night. I am mostly concerned about the tolumnias, Brassavolas (one has buds) and my Angraecum dideri.

Thank you for your quick response Bud. I was seriously panicking, now I'm just stressing a bit. lol :D

Dendrobiums, Phals, Tolumnias and Oncidiums can take to the 50's for one night or so. Of course this depends upon the hybrid parents or species. Some Dendrobiums such as kingianium need to feel temperatures into the 40s.

The general recommendations for them are as follows:
Dendrobiums: 50-90
Phal's: 55-95
Tolumnia's: 55-90
Oncidiums: 55-90
Again, these being general. I actually left mine outside even when the temperature dipped into the low 50's and one night it dipped into the upper 40s (that was an accident - not intentional). They were absolutely fine.

But yes, you should start considering bringing them in. The general recommendation is to bring them in about 1 to 2 weeks before you need to turn on the heat in your house to give them time to acclimate to the environment first.

I do not know about Epidendrums and Cattleyas.

As a side note. I created an excel sheet list with all of my orchids on them. It took some time and creative searching on the intranet, but I found all of the recommended temperature and light levels for my particular orchids.

If you have species or know the parentage of a hybrid, you might want to invest in the Baker's OrchidCulture.com. They have a lot of valuable information such as temperature ranges throughout the year in the orchid's native environment. Very helpful.

I suggest bring in the plants in bud or those in bloom...it can help them prolong its flowers...the coming of the cold also the comes dry atmosphere and it will suck moisture from your plants...if its in the 50's outside then it will be 10 to 15 degrees warmer indoors without the heater.
Paul is right. Bring them indoors before you turn on your heaters...

Well that was the plan. I won't turn my heaters on for probably another month, the AC is still running. When I saw the weather report I thought it was a mistake. I'm off to grab the Brassavola in bud and bring it in.
Thanks for the excel idea, I'll do that. :D And thanks again for the responses. I worry about my 'chids.

I brought in all my warm-growing orchids, like rhynchostylis. I still have my catts outside, and it's about 45 deg F now. Catts can take lower temps, but I'm wondering...I have a batch of newly repotted, either young or root-compromised catts outside. I wonder if they'll be sensitive to low temps, or if low temps will slow their growth/recovery?

The only plants I have had to bring in was Phrags, Paphs, and a brassavolia 'little stars'... B. started to drop leaves at about 45. All my others stay outside year around here.... My lows are about 40 but have been as low as 28. I have had my Phrags and Paphs down to 45 but they where on the dry side.

Your plants need to be on the dry side if your going to keep them out in the 40-50 for any length of time. Wet and cold DO NOT MIX!!!!

Catts will almost stop growing or slow way down went it gets 45 and below. If you have a Catt. that's recovering from root loss, I would try to keep it in the 60-85ish range.... :twocents: