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The thread "Our Orchid blooms in October 2014" in Orchids forum

It's November 1. and it is time to start another thread. Please all join in and have a good time. Got something interesting to share, don't hesitate to post.

Let me start with my Vanda David Gardner, the blooms always grow a bit more after they open.

Slc Patricia Taaffe 'Neptune' grows on a piece of driftwood and has to be grown in full sun or it will have floppy growth. I grow it inside right under the glass ceiling.

My small Cattleya forbesii from Ecuagenera had bloomed this Summer and I didn't expect it to bloom again now, so I am happy.

And my Angraecum distichum has again a flush of tiny cute blooms.

What a strange and interesting foliage Angraecum has.

Glen, those pieces can actually be rooted, very unusual for an Orchid. Those tiny blooms are supposed to be fragrant too, but I never caught any scent on mine.

How amazing.

Beauties as always Ursula!

Woke up to very chilly temps this morning. I'm really glad that I thought to bring my Vandas in. Currently 49F...looking for a low of 39F tonight ...brrr for NE Florida...

Thanks!
Heh, that IS cold for your area!

It got down to 33 F early AM and is predicted to get down to 28 F tomorrow AM. Winter has come early!

It's cold here too. 63 degrees for today's high and very windy. Good day for football and hot tea. Low tonight around 43 degrees. We are off 20 degrees from yesterday.

Jim

Pardon me for posting here, but I have a question ... at what temps should I bring my orchids inside when it starts getting cold?

You're more than welcome to post here when ever you like, Becky. There are nothing but friendly folks in this little group.

Some orchids are more tolerant of cold temps than others but the general rule I use is 45 degrees. Vandas and Phals should come in first while Cimbidiums are known for cold tolerance. I hope this helps.

Jim

In addition - if the forecast is for chilly temps, I would think a sunny next morning is perhaps a bit more gentle than chilly temps coupled with cold rain and wind.
It is always a good idea to understand the climate of the origin of your Orchids. It can get quite chilly in areas of tropical Brazil in August, to the point that you will grab your warm Polartec, etc etc. Good to know if they come from Lowlands ( warm) or Highlands ( cool).

My "bring'um in" point is 50F, but as Jim said, when the low is predicted to be 55F, I brought in my Phal. and Vanda plants. I try to keep my GH's and (now) enclosed porch at or above 55 F.

Thanks for all the suggestions. My orchids are on my screened porch close to the exterior walls of my house, so they are warmer there than if they were outside in the open. One species/cultivar of orchid is actually featured in the article that I wrote which was published last night. I must confess that I don't know much about orchids species. And I no longer have readable labels for them. I've had them for several years. They are the typical orchids you find for sale at big box stores. Not a rare species or anything .... I do love them and their beautiful long-lasting blooms!

I also grow cactus orchids (Epiphyllum spp.). I have many large ones that are full grown from cuttings, but I know that they are succulents, not true orchids. All of these plants are sensitive to very cold temps. But the lowest temps they can handle without being brought in are a bit tricky for me because they are all very near or next to the exterior walls of my house. They are on the north facing side of my yard. So it does get colder there than the full sun, south facing front of my house.

The temps are supposed to go back up into the low 80's in another day. We get those cold snaps, which are for only a night or two. Day temps are supposed to be in the high 60's. So I didn't want to bring them in and then back out again unless it was absolutely necessary.

Hello and welcome Becky, I enjoyed your yard slideshow!

Roberta - Thank you. I do the slideshows to help remind me of what I was growing from year to year. Sometimes I lose plants or move them. The slideshow is different every year because my garden areas are constantly changing when I add new hardscaping or a new garden bed.

Becky, sounds like you have a lot of fun plants! I am very fond of Epiphyllums too, like many of us around here.
Now to overwinter them around here - I find the species ( oxypetalum, phyllanthus, strictum, pumilum and more ) are not too happy with chilly temperatures, I bring them inside with my Orchids.
But the hybrids, especially those with some red in their blooms, don't mind temperatures in the 40 F at all. Many people in Germany would store them years ago in their coal cellars over the Winter and let them go pretty much dormant. I do something similar, I keep them in the frost free garage over the Winter, temperatures go down into the forties and when they come through the Winter, they really bloom better than keeping them warm year around.

Now back to Orchids, some repeat bloomers-
Lc Mini Purple 'Blue'


C. Sacramento Rose


Bc Binosa 'Tetraploid' has a bunch of spikes in the works


And here is a final picture of the huge Ornithophora radicans.

Nice show, everyone!
Jim, Just so you don't feel alone with the temp. swings http://forecast.weather.gov/Ma... , but we did finally get .40" of rain in the last 24 hrs. You wouldn't believe all the excitement.

Congrats Carol! Did you do a rain dance to celebrate?
Just thought you would be happy to see that your gift Gerberara 'Snow Ballet' is in bloom. And Jim, the B. David Sanders continues to thrive but never blooms!


Check out the Massachusetts Orchid Society Show I went to today!!!! http://forum.crazyorchidlady.c...

Ursula it is very kind to ask me how to grow Dendrobium loddigessi . Basically, it has done well despite me. But this subtropical climate obviously suits it. I was at an orchid place looking for cork last week and I was quite surprised to see the species flowering on cork hanging in the open all around the place as I was grazing. Mine are in the open but under a tree.

Thanks Glen. Looking up the climate for your location gives one a good idea of its cultural conditions. I will add the daily weather to my yahoo weather page.
This Dendrobium is so pretty!

Off to see Kathy's show pics.