Orchid Care Tips: Keeping Orchids in Winter
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Fri, Feb 05, 2010
As the weather gets colder, you might find yourself wondering about how your orchids will do and what type of orchid care you should provide. Luckily, they generally like the same climate as people do, which is why they are such good indoor plants. But orchids do vary in their temperature preferences.
An article from Fine Gardening.com explains that temperature affects an orchid’s overall growth and bloom habits. The most critical time for orchids is during the winter, when many of them are preparing to bloom.
Orchids are classified into three types based on their winter temperature needs:
- Cool-growing orchids enjoy night temperatures in winter around 50°F and daytime temperatures not exceeding 70°.
- Intermediate-growing orchids prefer minimum winter-night temperature around 60° and daytime temperatures from 70° to 85°. Most orchids best suited for growing indoors are in the intermediate group.
- Warm-growing orchids need night temperatures no lower than 65°, and daytime winter temperatures can range from 75° to 85°.
During the summer, intermediate and warm-growing orchids can stand temperatures up to 85° or 90° as long as they have good air circulation. Cool-growing orchids prefer to stay cool in the summer.
A fluctuation of 10 to 20 degrees between day and night temperatures is essential for all orchids and triggers them to produce flowers. In the winter, it’s possible to achieve this fluctuation by lowering your home’s thermostat or by moving an orchid to a cooler spot, like a porch or a garage, at night.
Most orchids flourish under bright, indirect light. When buying an orchid, check the label for its light preference, then observe how much light your orchid actually receives.
Symptoms of excessive light are sunburn, yellowish foliage, and a weak and dehydrated appearance. But if you bought an orchid in bloom and it did not rebloom the following year, even if the foliage looks green, consider giving your orchid more light and adjust the temperature.Read more Orchid Care tips >>