Summering orchids in the NorthEast, when to bring them in?

[SJF]

Hi,
This is my first year putting some Cattleyas and a few dend king. outside. It got down in the forties at night over the weekend and the ten day forecast here of highs and lows is:
70/45, 67/43, 72/47, 78/53, 79/59, 76/59, 74/51, 69/47, 72/50, 72/49. Three of the Catts are in an open area. Two hanging and one on a stand (with sheaths). The others are in a screened gazebo. Three of the Catts in the gazebo are in sheath or bud.
I need to treat them for insects again. Looking for a systemic instead of just the Bayer spray. I haven't found it yet.
My biggest question/concern is when should I bring them in? Are these temperatures too cold for the Catts? I know the king. needs the cold to trigger blooming.

[nikkik]

I'm in Michigan and our weather has been similar to yours. I have my vandas and catts outside too, many are in sheath or spike. Currently, I keep a close eye on the weather. We have been in the 40s with rain at night a couple times, I know that I chance the flowers if I leave them out in that type of weather, so I've been bringing some inside at night and putting them back out during the day.

The weather's not cold enough to kill our plants, but this isn't the night time temps they prefer. We chance seeing our flowers if we leave them in conditions that aren't prime for too long. This week, I'd keep an eye on the evening that supposed to go into the low 40s.

To be honest, I don't want to bring my plants in yet because it means summer's over and I'm not ready for winter! I have started treating them with a systemic because the weather is becoming unfavorable for my hot growers.

Good luck finding your systemic. Hopefully, we'll have a few more weeks of summer left!

[SJF]

Originally Posted by nikkik

I'm in Michigan and our weather has been similar to yours. I have my vandas and catts outside too, many are in sheath or spike. Currently, I keep a close eye on the weather. We have been in the 40s with rain at night a couple times, I know that I chance the flowers if I leave them out in that type of weather, so I've been bringing some inside at night and putting them back out during the day.

The weather's not cold enough to kill our plants, but this isn't the night time temps they prefer. We chance seeing our flowers if we leave them in conditions that aren't prime for too long. This week, I'd keep an eye on the evening that supposed to go into the low 40s.

To be honest, I don't want to bring my plants in yet because it means summer's over and I'm not ready for winter! I have started treating them with a systemic because the weather is becoming unfavorable for my hot growers.

Good luck finding your systemic. Hopefully, we'll have a few more weeks of summer left!

Thank you so much for your help

[Bud]

The Dendrobium kingianum can go below 30's in nature but it must be lab grown or greenhouse grown so you don't want to stress it; but if you get frost for a couple of days it will survive. Also do not forget to give it proper winter rest.
The Cattleyas are fine with your weather at the moment....but if it is going to reach below 30F at night you better bring them indoors. Cattleya cannot survive overnight frost it will turn to mush starting by blackening of the bulbs then the leaves that you think it is bacteria but its frost. Once you let it taste frost, some can survive for several months but you will notice it doesn't produce new growths and the bulbs and roots will just shrivel and die but still green. Your grow zone will only have frost maybe every other year and also with the heat waves....so you didn't get frost last year then this year you are going to have frost.

[SJF]

Originally Posted by Bud

The Dendrobium kingianum can go below 30's in nature but it must be lab grown or greenhouse grown so you don't want to stress it; but if you get frost for a couple of days it will survive. Also do not forget to give it proper winter rest.
The Cattleyas are fine with your weather at the moment....but if it is going to reach below 30F at night you better bring them indoors. Cattleya cannot survive overnight frost it will turn to mush starting by blackening of the bulbs then the leaves that you think it is bacteria but its frost. Once you let it taste frost, some can survive for several months but you will notice it doesn't produce new growths and the bulbs and roots will just shrivel and die but still green. Your grow zone will only have frost maybe every other year and also with the heat waves....so you didn't get frost last year then this year you are going to have frost.

Thank you Bud. Since we are one state away from each other...do you grow Catts? If so, when you you usually bring yours in?

[Bud]

I'm so sorry ! I thought you were in San Francisco!

ok....your kingianum can come indoors end of September where it usually get frosty at around below 30's ...we may still get 'indian summer' that is 90's for a week sometime before Halloween but don't have that fool you....its a trick to kill your orchids....

All my warm loving orchids are still out in the fire escape....but I will put them all indoors in a couple of weeks whether I get frost or not = its good to be safe than sorry.

[SJF]

Originally Posted by Bud

I'm so sorry ! I thought you were in San Francisco!

ok....your kingianum can come indoors end of September where it usually get frosty at around below 30's ...we may still get 'indian summer' that is 90's for a week sometime before Halloween but don't have that fool you....its a trick to kill your orchids....

All my warm loving orchids are still out in the fire escape....but I will put them all indoors in a couple of weeks whether I get frost or not = its good to be safe than sorry.

Thank you

[cbuchman]

SJF, I'm in Northern Jersey too. I still have everything outside. I'll bring in the warm lovers (e.g., Phals) in late September or when the night temps are are going to be in the high 40" for more than 1 or 2 nights. For the Catts and other intermediates I look for 2 to 3 nights in a row that are in the low 40s. for the cool growers (Den King. Cyms, etc). I wait for at east several nights at 40 or so which is usually early Nov. If we get a"heat wave", I've been known to put them back outside too.

[SJF]

Originally Posted by cbuchman

SJF, I'm in Northern Jersey too. I still have everything outside. I'll bring in the warm lovers (e.g., Phals) in late September or when the night temps are are going to be in the high 40" for more than 1 or 2 nights. For the Catts and other intermediates I look for 2 to 3 nights in a row that are in the low 40s. for the cool growers (Den King. Cyms, etc). I wait for at east several nights at 40 or so which is usually early Nov. If we get a"heat wave", I've been known to put them back outside too.

Thanks Carrie

[Orchidhound56]

I am in the southern Midwest, I will have to take my Phals in mid-October when the low temps reach the mid to late 40's at night.