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Thread: A Cold Snap

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  1. #1
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Phals, Paphs, Brassia BABY!!
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Boone, North Carolina
    Posts
    250

    Default A Cold Snap

    Hola orchid lovers! I need your opinion on something. What orchids, in your experience, need a cold snap to enduce them to bloom? In particular, Paphs, Phals, Phrags, Brassia's or any Oncidium-type. I have several plants of these varieties that I keep indoors all the time. Now I'm wondering if a little cold snap might not wake them up and get them to send up a spike. Perhaps my temps are just too constant inside. An orchid friend of mine has most of his orchids outside on his porch, and he has had several spikes pop up lately, which both of us have attributed to the recent range in tempertures, particularly at night. I'm considering putting my Colmanera Wildcat, Brassia Rex 'Tahoma', Paph Deperle, Hwr. Lava Burst, Paph Maudie and a few NOID phrags outside for a spell. What do you think?
    Cat

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Massachusetts
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    7,068

    Default

    Hi Cat,

    My Brassia doesn't need a cold snap to bloom, but I do have a colder winter than you do, and I know Brassias will set more spikes with a cold winter snap. I'm not sure what their minimal cold tolerance is, so proceed carefully.

    If your Paphs and Phals aren't blooming, then consider light levels up them and trace elements/fert. If any plant has had a tough year, it might take another to recover before reblooming, so that might be an issue as well.

    Your Phrags will definitely hold off blooming if they dry out between waterings. They want to be wet constantly. Unless they have much caudatum species in their background, Noirmont has none they're happiest sitting in water. They're one of the few orchids that prefers to have 'feet wet.' I've had my best luck with sphagnum moss in clay pots, sitting in water. The pots need to get wiped down to prevent mildew, but the plants go bonkers!

    Hope this helps!

    McJulie

  3. #3
    My Grow Area
    Greenhouse
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    All types
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Missouri
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    4,831
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    Default

    Hi , My greenhouse goes down to 60 at night ,if there is sun approx. 85 days there is a Temp. shift but not an extreme one except for the Cymbids. and dedicious type species Dends. that are on the enclosed porch it will later in the year go down to 40 . The thing to be careful of is wet plus cold can equal rot Gin

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    England
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    Default

    If you have 15f or more difference between day & night then most 'chids should spike(if they are ready).
    Some multi-floral paphs(especially with paph rothschildianum in the mix)can need a definiate rest/cool night period to induce spiking.
    My hybrid phals certainly seem to spike once i allow the temps to go below 60f @ night.
    2 of my phrags spiked when the temp was above 100f in my g/h , nights where a lot cooler but still in the 70's.Personally i would not let them get much below 55f/60f.

  5. #5
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Phals, Paphs, Brassia BABY!!
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
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    Boone, North Carolina
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    Default

    Thanks for the advice guys. I am going to put my paphs and phrags (and one phal) outside for now. The forecast says that for the next week lows will hover around fifty degrees and highs are in the upper 70's. I really have to be careful and watch because here in the mountains the temps can drop drastically at night. Last week we had a day with 70 degree highs and lows that actually dipped into the 20's!! Now, do you think that a week outside would do it? or do I need more time? If it takes more than that, I might forego the entire process because temperatures are falling off quickly this season.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    England
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    Default

    I would not chance it if temps could drop to the 20,s , even 2 of my Cymbidiums lost all their leaves when the temps dropped to those type of temps.
    Maybe placing the plants in a window & pulling the curtains(if you have them) would help to produce a cooler micro-climate without risking freezing the poor blighters.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Massachusetts
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    Default

    If you're not talking standard Cymbidiums, I don't think you need to place anyone outside. Just find some cool window they can sit next to for the winter. That should be plenty cold. None of the plants you mentioned needs a hard cool down. I read that Brassias like a cold winter to bloom well, but mine put out three huge spikes this spring right where it is - next to a poorly insulated window with night time temps of 60 degrees.

    McJulie

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