A rant on orchid lighting information

[sand_tiger86]

Many, many years ago, I grew orchids inside my home in Minnesota. I found that several would NOT bloom unless they received a 20 to 22 degree drop in temperature at night. They kept growing, as Amey pointed out...But no buds/blooms came. I started to put them on the window ledge at night, and pulled down the shade behind them. Most spiked within three weeks...in their bloom season. Just something I learned over my years of orchid growing. Betty

Interesting! I don't leave my air on during the day, but have several fans blowing in my "orchid room", so the temp. is in the 80s to about 90 all day...at night when I come home I cut my air on and the temperature gradually drops to about 65-70 most of the night.

[cakedaddy]

I got lucky in the heat department...I live very close to the coast in the northern half of the state. It seems to take forever driving out to see the beach but we are only about fifteen miles if you draw a straight line on the map. We certainly do get some hot summer days, but the nights are almost always cool. That gives all the plants that live with me some relief. According to the forecast, I am going to see a diurnal range of thirty degrees over the weekend. Since most of my plants are outdoors now, I do let them have full morning sun to shake off the chill that comes around just before sunrise. But none of them get any direct light at all until things have cooled off closer to sunset.
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[yvonni]

Well I love the look of vandas . I think they have some of the most beautiful flowers and as you say they are pretty showy . I don't have the right culture for growing them I don't think , since I rent an apt . Don't want to construct any elaborate structures on the people's property to accommodate their culture so I can have them outside where I believe they should be , so I'm sticking to the ones that I can just stick in a nice bright window and not worry much . From what I read Vandas have a need for lots of watering even though they don't like to stay wet and I seriously doubt I can give them that right now . Maybe in the future I might find myself in different surroundings and decide to try them but for now I'm content to look at all you guys gorgeous pictures

[yvonni]

What's the highest your temps get there ? Your in Texas right ?

[sand_tiger86]

Yeah, Vandas are total hogs. Lots of light, lots of water (but like you said, they can't stay wet at all costs), lots of humidity, lots of fertilizer and lots of air movement. They like everything in large, frequent amounts. The way I figure it, I don't date anyone and don't have pets to look after - so it gives me something to keep me busy! I do work from 11am-7pm every day, so I tend to water mine before I leave for work and lightly spray when I get home. I also have a humidifier running throughout the day in the back room where it's at.

The highest temps here in Texas? Well, during the summer it averages in the mid 90's but a lot of days it gets to 100 or or over. Very, very hot and one day it could be suffocatingly humid, and the next as dry as a desert. Texas is a place of very extreme, unpredictable weather patterns.

[yvonni]

Well I'm told we had an extreme of 91 but the range is about 84 - 89 . When you guys are having your winter our nights here go down to about 69 but I'm told we had an extreme of 66 but that's definitely not the norm .

[yvonni]

So far since I'm still a newbie at all this I don't really know yet whether I'm doing the right thing or not . I guess all I have to go on is the fact that they haven't died and I've had the oldest so far from last aug . I guess that's what I have to hold onto . I feel so junior on this forum since all you guys have been doing this for a lot longer , I only just started .

[sand_tiger86]

Well I'm told we had an extreme of 91 but the range is about 84 - 89 . When you guys are having your winter our nights here go down to about 69 but I'm told we had an extreme of 66 but that's definitely not the norm .

That sounds nice! haha I wish it was like that here. It snows every once a while during winters here, but not often...it does get below freezing quit a bit, though.

You're from Barbados - This is off topic, but is Rihanna a town legend around there? haha

[yvonni]

Well the way I figure it I'm too lazy for a plant to keep me that busy .

[yvonni]

Yes most Barbadians love Rhianna , some could do without the good girl going bad but most love her .