Give Your Orchids a Summer Vacation
Who doesn’t love a summer vacation? Orchids sure do. Many growers move plants outdoors to take advantage of pleasant summer weather. Orchids which have been kept indoors will thrive with fresh air and invigorating rain showers. Here are a few tips to help plan an orchid summer vacation. Bon voyage!
- Move plants into a shady outdoor spot for 2 weeks. Outdoors, the plants will receive much more light than indoors, and need a period of adjustment. Even sun lovers like Cattleyas, Cymbidiums, and Vandas can burn if they’re not given time to acclimate. Phals, Paphs, and Masdevallias should stay in the shade, but you can gradually move others into brighter light.
- Most orchids will require a new watering schedule while living outdoors. With more light and air movement, they’ll dry out faster, and need more frequent soakings. Orchids which stay on the dry side, like Cattleyas, must have protection during extended rainy periods.
- Orchid growers in dry or desert climates face an extra challenge to find a humid outdoor area for their plants. If you can’t, keep them indoors where high humidity can be maintained. Take advantage of any summer rains for quick outdoor trips.
- Track the nightly minimum temperatures in your location. Warm growers like Phals and Vandas need to stay above 65°F (18°C,) and should be brought back indoors if weather forecasts call for temps below that.
- Bugs are inevitable outside, but before you reach for a toxic insecticide, consider letting beneficial insects tackle the job. Ladybugs, dragonflies, and spiders all work for free, but can’t survive deadly chemicals.
- Wind, rain, and pests can damage flowers, so many growers bring blooming plants indoors. Check for insects before plants come back inside.
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June 18th, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Thank you for helpful tips and simply good info.
July 13th, 2012 at 10:12 am
Every year I move most of my collection outside and they all love it. Even thought they get munched a little by critters they add more than enough new growth in their outdoor digs to make up for it. I keep them on our patio under some pine trees so they are shaded but still get to enjoy a day of rain yet. We pull them back inside if we get some cool nights, but then they go right back outside to the fresh air.
July 17th, 2012 at 2:32 pm
Thank you for your work. Article helped me a lot
August 20th, 2012 at 6:40 am
[…] If orchids are taking a summer vacation outdoors, bring them back inside to lower light and reasonable, climate-controlled temps.[…]
September 3rd, 2012 at 9:29 pm
The topic starter give us some decent points there~~~ before I have no idea about it but now I seemed to know somthing~~~lol~`thanx the starter ~~keeping your blog fresh..I think my orchids in the office will be happy for this ~~~