Temp questions

[kindrag23]

Hello again,

We have had some much cooler than normal temperatures here the last few days and it got me thinking about temperature requirements. I live in a old house and we have propane heaters that we use in the winter.
While it does not get extremely cold during the winter where I live we usually get at least one good snow fall that the temps drop to around 19 degrees.
I guess that my biggest question is do phal's have a resting period like my Venus fly traps do? Do I need to do anything special for them when it does begin to become cold? This will be my first fall/winter growing orchids. I have read through the phal abuse ends here partly and am slowly getting through the rest I just have not gotten to the part about temp requirements yet I guess.

[jeremyinsf]

Are these indoors or outside? The phal's, that is ;-)

[kindrag23]

All indoor. 6 phals and one cattleya thus far. :-)

[RosieC]

If it goes down to 19F outside, what is the minimum inside?

19F would be too cold for them, but it goes down to that here occasionally (probably low 20s more often), but get's no where near that low in the house.

I keep my greenhouse heated to a 40F minimum but that only has cool loving orchids in the winter.

My house I keep at a 60F minimum, I used to let it drop slightly more but the Phals went noticeably dormant and I had some root problems with them over the winter if I wasn't careful.

You will find they dry slower over the winter and so you need to keep an eye on how often you water and only water when they need it.

[kindrag23]

During the day when no one is home it can get down to 50 degrees.

---------- Post added at 10:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:32 AM ----------

75 when we r home

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Tropical Phalaenopsis do not really have a traditionally recognizable rest period.

They do not go fully dormant, they just metabolize much slower and grow much slower during the cooler months.

19 F is obviously far too low, but by cool I'm assuming you understand that it is on the lower end of their tolerance range, which would be in some cases, (not always), as low as 55 F, up to the mid 70's F. The more usual low would be 60 F.

Does this address the question?

---------- Post added at 08:35 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:34 AM ----------

If you're talking about temperate Phals, they're entirely different.

[jeremyinsf]

I agree with Rosie! Also, phals want some temperature fluctuation (say, 15 degrees or so) but nothing too extreme either.

To answer your question, they don't 'rest' as some do. They just don't always do as much in the winter - except maybe spike!!

Good luck and have fun.

[RosieC]

50F might be rather low for Phals, although maybe someone else will have more experience growing them that low

I keep 69F morning and evening (and the days I'm home) and it drops the rest of the time depending on how cold it is outside, but has a 60F minimum set.

[kindrag23]

I honestly am not sure.
I have

Vanilla planifolia
Phal talpei
Phal newberry pink sensation
Phal Baldans Kaleidoscope
and two others. Does that help?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by RosieC

50F might be rather low for Phals, although maybe someone else will have more experience growing them that low

For a tropical Phal, 50 F is too low. They will start to show clear and obvious signs of distress at 50 F.

---------- Post added at 08:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:38 AM ----------

Originally Posted by kindrag23

I honestly am not sure.
I have

Vanilla planifolia
Phal talpei
Phal newberry pink sensation
Phal Baldans Kaleidoscope
and two others. Does that help?

Your Vanilla planifolia will most definitely start showing signs of distress at 50 F.