When is it safe to bring my orchids outside?

[BrassavolaStars]

Hello all,

The temperatures in my area are starting to turn from cool to warm. My daytime high temperatures are already always above 58f. I would really like to start to bring out some of my less sensitive plants to the patio. When is a safe nighttime low that I can keep my (mostly hanging pot or basket) plants outside?

I have Cymbidiums, Cattleyas (brassavolas, Brazilian species, rhyncholaelia, and some complex hybrids), Dendrobiums (soft cane), vanda/angraecums, and citrus plants with tiny oranges.

This week, the night temperature lows will not fall below 45f.

At what daily/nightly low temperature can I safely take each type of plant I have listed above outside?

Thank you.

[SouthPark]

Uncertainty and variability is what can get orchids. So maybe better to wait until the outside night-time temperature doesn't fall below 60F to 65F, to be on the safe side.

[Roberta]

Cymbidiums should be OK... and they will benefit from the better light outdoors and should not have a problem with the cold. The others you may want to wait until night temperatures are consistently above about 55 deg F. (All of them can tolerate colder temperatures if acclimated, but since they have been indoors all winter, better not to push it) Also, your area can get "cold surprises" ... it's spring, but nature doesn't necessarily read calendars.

[aliceinwl]

I second Roberta. I’ve also found that daytime highs are almost as important as night time lows. I just set-up all the plants I’d been bringing in at night outside now that lows are mostly above 45 and highs are at least 70. I tend to see rots if I leave them out if night time lows are acceptable and highs don’t make it out of the low 60s. I’m excluding Cymbidium: I’m able to leave them out year round in my climate.

---------- Post added at 06:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:14 PM ----------

For me, the plants outside full time now include my Cattleya types (I think I have a similar assortment to yours), my Zygopetalum types, Miltoniopsis, Maxillaria, and most of my Oncidium intergenerics. My Dendrobium nobile types are outside year round. My Dendrobium speciosum and hybrids were just moved outside full time.

We grow citrus outside year round so I imagine, they’d be safe.

I have a Vanda ‘Santa Barbara Fizz’ that I was growing outside last year since it’s supposed to be temperature tolerant, but it got hit really hard when temperatures dipped in the fall so I’ll probably wait until nighttime lows are consistently in the 50s before it goes back outside.

[JScott]

I put my orchids out side (mostly Catt hybrids and Oncidium types, with a few other random ones mixed in) when the night temps are usually in the 60s. An occasional dip into the 50s at night won't hurt them, as long as the days are warm. I put mine out last week, but I'm in North Texas (DFW area), so it gets warmer here sooner than it probably does where you are, but when the night temps are usually in the 60s is when I put mine out.

[SouthPark]

True - as long as the orchid grows within the ballpark recommended day-time growing temperature range and the temperature never gets out of the estimated safe-range, then that will be good.

[DeaC]

Hi there. If you notice,none of the responders live anywhere close to your area. Conditions vary greatly and the weather man may be your best friend. Read up on your orchids requirements ,as I'm sure you did, but I can only say I haven't done the outside thing yet and I'm south of you. We've had freeze warnings still.