orchid temperature

orchid orchids Temperature orchid orchids

Orchid care comprises 4 major issues as discussed on this web site:
FOOD & FERTILIZER | LIGHT | WATER & HUMIDITY | TEMPERATURE
CLICK ONE of the above underlined items for more information about that particular orchid care aspect.

IN ADDITION, an extensive chapter on this web site about fertilizer mixtures comprising a number of assisting ingredients and agents, can be reached by clicking: Fertilizer

BASIC ORCHID CARE discussed in 20 interactive chapters, a photo gallery with more than 7,000 interactive full screen orchid photos, and orchid classification system on: MöhltiMedia's Orchid cd rom.


ORCHID CARE | FOOD & FERTILIZER | LIGHT | WATER & HUMIDITY | TEMPERATURE | FERTILIZER | ORCHID CD ROM

TEMPERATURE

Introduction
Besides food and light, orchids require a specific temperature range to exhibit optimal growth and blooming.

Orchids can be divided into three day and night temperature regimes: cool, moderate and warm.

Night temperatures should be 10 - 20 F lower than corresponding day temperatures to promote optimal growth and blooming.

Below, a table with day and night temperatures is presented.


NightDay
Cool:45 F - 55 F 55 F - 65 F
Moderate:55 F - 65 F65 F - 75 F
Warm:65 F - 75 F75 F - 85 F

Optimal temperature
The optimal temperature for growth and blooming may vary per genera and species. Cool growers like, among others, some masdevallia and odontoglossum species will flower only when kept cool at about 50F (10C) for some time. At too high temperatures, these species will not flower, but merely grow.

Other orchid types like, among others, cambrias and other South-American hybrids do not care too much about temperature; they grow and flower regularly during the year.

Another aspect is that plants tend to flower if they start to feel uncomfortable or experience a drastic change in circumstances for some time such as a drastic temperature, humidity or light intensity/color change.

Cooling
Above 110F (40C), certain plant tissue elements may start to break down and cooling may be required. Plants can widthstand higher temperatures up to 130F (50C) for limited time if the humidity is kept high, too, thereby suppressing excessive water loss.

Heating
Too low temperatures may be compensated by heating. Be aware to increase humidity, too, in that case. When raising temperature, humidity generally drops and growth may be hampered if the humidity becomes too low. If the humidity is too low, stomata (pores in leaf skin) will close to avoid loss of water by evaporation. If the stomata are closed, absorption of food components from air by the plant is halted, too. Plants slow down, and in extreme cases stop, growing.

ORCHID CARE | FOOD & FERTILIZER | LIGHT | WATER & HUMIDITY | TEMPERATURE | FERTILIZER | ORCHID CD ROM

orchids