Keeping phals outdoors
 

I decided I wanted to try keeping my phals outside while they are out of bloom. Currently have 3 out there now.. while 2 of them look okay to me, one came down with a case of bacterial spot/brown spot. I had to remove 1 whole leaf and half of another. So that is the one with the stumpy leaves. But other than that, how do they look? For the most part they look okay, but I see some yellowish hue and wondered what that means? Too hot? Not enough water? I bought a spray bottle to mist the leaves with on hot days. They get about 3/4 hours of indirect afternoon sunlight where they are right now. I am in Tennessee.. daytime temps in the 70s/80s right now and nighttime in the 50s.

I don't have many Phals so I cannot say about how they look but I do put mine outside for the summer, too. They seem to thrive on the humidity. :)

Depending on what end of "50's" they are getting..it might be too cold. These types of phals are warm growers and do best at temps no less than 58-60 as a low. Some people say not to let them go lower than 60-65.

As for the yellowing...if you were growing them very dim during the winter then be sure to acclimate them to the brighter light. Too much given too soon could result in some scorching.

I grow all my orchids outside during warmer weather and even though I use strong lights in the winter...the lower light orchids (like phals) spend a week or two w/some extra shading in order to avoid any potential light stress or burning.

Maybe set up a shade cloth where the sun hits hard at various times of the day? After I started to grow orchids outside, I realized how important shade cloth was. I do have a rather thick tree over head, but just that additional shadecloth keeps the area cooler, and provides additional shade. I stupidly left a few of mine out the week before last, and lost a few leaves. The rest of the plants are okay (these are phals that were attacked by parrots so the leaves will never win a prize anyway). So I am in a part of the country where you get an average growing season of nearly a full year, however it gets cold for about 4 months-- too cold for phals without a greenhouse, which I do not have.

---------- Post added at 11:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:06 AM ----------

Oh we are also now in the 70's-80's and nights are in the mid 50's.

I experimented with growing phals outdoors in the Bay Area and it did not go well--to say the least. Lol

I would be careful with misting the leaves, water droplets act like little magnifying glasses and if any sun hits it might burn. The yellowing is from too bright of light. Burns and wetness are a bad combination, good way to induce rot in the leaves. Phals need a lot of shading. I have one hanging under the eave of my house, out of any direct sun, with about 70% shade cloth, but it is still on the bright side for it.

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This is an old gardening myth. If it were true, every plant in the world would have burns. Mother Nature does not provide protection after a rain and many times the sun comes out after it rains. ;)

I water my plants when the sun is on them and have never burned one that was in the proper light to begin with. I've burned some plants but it was because they were put in a situation where the light/heat were too intense and/or because I didn't acclimate them properly. It had nothing to do w/water.

As a matter of fact, when the temps are near/at 90 and the leaves feel hot...I often use water to cool the plants. Giving them a nice shower from the hose helps to cool them and has never - not even once! - caused any burning.

When they're outdoors my Phals are on a ledge atop the NW facing brick foundation wall of my house. I never worry unless temps are predicted to drop below 50F.

That is what I meant, the phals are at increased risk if you don't know whether the light you're providing is too bright or not. If it is too bright water on the leaves isn't going to help them.

Well on the first picture the newest leaf is dark purple, I would say that is too much sun for a phal.