Phalaenopsis growing temperature

[Wade's Orchids]

I was wondering what day/night temperature everyone is keeping for their Phals. When my greenhouse is finished I hope to keep them in there with the other orchids but this will be closer to intermediate temps of 60 F degree nights and days determined by the kindness of the sun tempered by cooling systems. I also thought it would be interesting to see a cross section of all of you for Phal. temperatures. Thanks!

[Carolla]

Mine are in my house, which is kept about 68 - 71 in the winter (rather warm for my MIL who is 89 and gets chilled easily) and in the mid 80's in the summer. In the summer the night time temps drop quite a bit - in the 60's outside and 70's inside. Daytime would be up to 110 on a hot day, so we use the AC a lot.

About half of them bloom every year doing this, so I figure some of them need more of a drop in the winter, but grandma is more important.

[78Terp]

Since getting into growing orchids I have been raising my home's temp to 78 during the day and then come home, turn off the heat and open a door in the kitchen a crack to lower the temp. I usually drop down to 62-65 at night.

I am just getting a cooler grow area with lighting set up in my semi-heated garage. Awaiting the thermometer to start getting an idea on the garage's temperature.

Outdoors can go as high as the low 100's F and our nights during the summer are 60-70 F in most cases. Rare to be much above 70 F overnight here in metro Denver.

[Wade's Orchids]

I think our temps are pretty similar, Harvey. 100F is rare here though. One thing we do have is summer humidity. Not unusual to have it over 70%.

[raybark]

A lot depends upon the species involved, Wade.

Phal. bellina, for example, is really a hot-grower. They seem to do best for me when kept above 80°. (Those summers in SC, where mine saw that at night and 100°-110° days with 100% RH, were the best!) Phal honghensis, on the other hand, seems to like dipping into the upper 50's.

Personally, I think keeping them above 60°-65° is fine, if the RH is kept high.

---------- Post Merged at 09:17 AM ----------

I forgot to add that if you look at the species in the background, and where they originate, you can get a decent handle on the needs of the hybrids.

[78Terp]

I think our temps are pretty similar, Harvey. 100F is rare here though. One thing we do have is summer humidity. Not unusual to have it over 70%.

We are lucky when we are at 25% during the day here.

[jai_star]

Its the begining of Fall here so temps are still quite warm in the day around 23 Celcius however the cool nights drop to 12C thats why the Phals have started spikes I will bring as much as I can into the house and the rest will have to stay in the greenhouse with minimal heating ( 12 - 15 C on a winters night )

[T4tlrman]

In my experience here in Phx, I won't see an inflorescence until I
learn how to drop summer temp's about 15 degrees between night & day.
My oldest phal (3 yrs.) has grown 6 + beautiful leaves and a number of aerial roots but nothing for a bloom spike.
A.C.in summer is @ 78F.
Recently found out phals need low light / lower temp for vegetative cycle (50 to 60F).
You should have an easy time of it Wade - I envy you that!

[Carolla]

The lower temp is to initiate blooms, more light and higher temp to grow good leaves without starting blooms the plant isn't ready for. I read the research.

[raybark]

Yep, Dr. Y-T Wang, then of Texas A&M, proved that a couple weeks of a 10°-15°F reduction in average growing temperature (not a day/night variation of that level) is key to initiate spikes, then the plant should be returned to warmth to have them grow and develop best.