hello, vandavixen, just want to offer my condolences on your loss.
take care,
sue

thank you very kind of you...these lil orchids do a great deal for the healing I need hope I don't loose these two thank you again

Sorry to hear about your mom passing, I don't envy you that heartache.

My orchids all stay out unless I really, really think we will have freezing temps. They came in one day last week as we were projected to hit 27 but normally, they stay out even if 30 is projected and do fine. Living in Orlando, I know the asphalt jungle, as it were, will keep the temps a little higher than projected. The night we were supposed to hit 27, we never had freezing temps, but I'm right on the edge of downtown. The other thing I look at is the dew point, which due to extremely low humidity this time of the year, is always well below expected temps (no frost).

At any rate, I only have one vanda, as I don't really like them, but, despite my blatant neglect, it's only lost a couple of leaves to the cold and the buds are still getting fatter by the day. Your plant may go into a dormant stage for awhile but don't worry about it, come June it will be back to it's old self (I don't know if this is normal or not or just due to me leaving it out in the cold).

Living in zone 10, you don't need to give your orchids a second thought other than watering incessantly, in the winter. They grow all by themselves here and the tree frogs, etc, fertilize them.

Oh thank you so much but ur area is so much different we live in 100 % humidity pretty much year round so friggin hot not warm hot humid muggy and on the porch reaches 100 or more degrees easy they are used to that ..all of a sudden 45 degrees bammmmmmmmmm
I could'nt believe it it was so happy I'm sick I loved it so much.. I also had just that week disturbed it out of the basket to try the vase watering 20 min thing which was totally un normal as someone here posted how the asocenda bloomed again...Dang and then the snap and moving it I'm outta of my mind it is a beautiful bloomer ascda Princess Mikassa Blue one of my favoriate ..I'm so upset

Hi
I grow orchids in three separate locations including Vandas. A heated shadehoouse , in the yard and in house.
So have a wide range of conditions particularly on a year around basis. Those in the shadehouse are runaway the best performers . They can and do survive temps down to and including frost but those not subjected to temps under 40 are ten times more vigorous particularly the Vanda, Cattleya family.
About all you can do is give it the best conditions in the future but if you only experience 40 I would expect to see no damage at all.. As you know there are other factors such as light,water, humidity.
IME in Florida during a cold front the humidity can drop to 30 percent or less. All that cold air came from the frozen north lol.
Sorry to hear about your mother ,I lost about half my collection during my mothers long illness. She lived 1200 miles away and I had to do several trips.
Good luck with your Vanda gary

Thank u Gary ...Well my vandas live outside my condo in an extremely great environment ..Just looked at the passiflora lost all the blooms couldn't carry it in..This Asocenda Princess mikasa has lost almost all leaves the roots are fine but ever night in or out it's dying ..Should I give up trying to help it?
Thx

A question for the Vanda experts. Princess Mikasa is 50% Vanda coerulea. How much cold tolerance does the coerulea influence impart?

A friend has an Unknown " blue vanda" growing out in her garden with the roots attached to a bush. It thrives, yet there are plenty of nights here in winter where the temp falls below 50F.

I just don't know as I believe the last time I had the princess Mikasa...this happened . Both places where the cold hit were in the same area and environmental changes.
What I feel is maybe the day the cold drastically went down low with a wind chill caused sudden shock as my porch maintains a high almost 100 % if not that humidity level it droped to 30 % in hours of a very hot humid day and temps in direct sunlight hit easy 100..
I don't think I can save it just like the last one .. What I fear is it spreading to others.. However, my teretes
and others seem to be coping.

I've been outta the game since my mom took sick 3 years ago ..I even forgot about the show here in Lauderdale..But it's slowly coming back to me ..Thanx Guys good to be back !
The fun thing (yet expensive) is, I can always find a reason to buy another one lol.

Hi
Wouldn't give up especially if the roots are okay. It will give you one to test for the rest of winter lol
IMO drastic temp swings in short periods of time are far more harmful than nearing extremes of either cold or hot. This can be demonstrated by full sun plants grown in shade . Why woudn't temp swings have a similar effect??
arthurm That's an interesting question. Outdoors I grow strap and terete vandas all hybrids but have no idea what lol. Two have been between two palms for over 15 years .
Have never covered them unless below 40.. Experience at least 15 days below 50 at night and an occasional day below 60 but usually above 70. This winter is setting records on average temps . Nov. below Dec. above Jan. both lol.
Coldest they ever experienced without being covered was 35. for around two hours.
Had often wondered about offspring of a cross between a cool and a warm grower.. Would there be a way to tell??
Obviously mine are VERY cold tolerant.
Vandavixon When you go shopping again you might use this to get more tolerant species?? Good luck with whatever you decide.!!! gary

Great Gary Thx , Exactly, I just saw u r in zone 10 " hello !!>..OK, My sister has one excellent strap leaved Vanda growing outside on a tree , I believe it is Robert's Delight excellent vanda anyway, she also has 2 gorgeous catts next to them.
She is in Delray which is a bit different then me and my temps. She has morning sun and afternoon shade . She has a good breeze here and there lives off the water.
She also has another epyphite which survived this cold well the Stag horn which I love and also have. I also believe ( her Phals were left outside as well> However, I bring mine in and they don't get these conditions as they are all on this extremely hot porch morning strong sun and good afternoon sun facing south, open windows and Iam placing them with fans as soon as it gets hot..But I believe I learned a lesson "costly> but I think it was the drop of extremity that shocked the plant.
One, I did not mention Oncididium (poor thing> Got forgotten outside in a cabinet as I moved furniture around that day and forgot it was placed inside it( for a bit ahh) I found it after 2 nites of extreme cold in the fourties with windy conditions.But it was sheltered from wind so it did much better then the Vanda.
This oncidium turned yellow some leaves a bit as well and I nursed it back and talked to it telling it "Oh I'm sorry how could I have left u in that position all alone out there ? lol"
It is coming back gradually and was brought in the last few nites.( looking happier I might add )
They are like our children only they don't talk back lol.
In all respect I would buy the Mikasa again as I adore the flowers. I can't except loss I'm a nurturing kinda gal.
Most of what I want to grow are plants that give a challenge as I mentioned Ming areala /stag horn.Vandas and phals and onciduiums, bonsai (trying Mings ). Thank you so much guys , what a nice group of people you are God Bless ..Have a great week..J'aaime

P.S. maybe they do talk back when they wilt/turn yellow/drop leaves/look great/bloom they do ..hihi

taking your vandas in and out wont bother them at all, probably that one night that you forgot did it. just hope that they will stay fine. dont let them get too dry

they r drying out from just the last days moving in then out now in again and I'm spritzing inside as temps drop to the coldest tonight,..low 40's maybe in upper 30's house is under 60 or around.
I'm loosing my pasiflora all blooms brought it it and wow this weather is very unusual..this year..
My catt looks ok gotta tad yellow from leaving it out ..Thank you

My vandas are all hanging out in the back yard with no protection--about 200 give or take a few. Twenty two are in full bloom providing a riot of color. After years of acclimating to our extremes in temp I expect leaf dropping from our recent cold spell with a low of 39F, but don't expect to see any real damage for two or three weeks. They have just shown good recovery from our last hurricanes and are tough, so hopefully??? Phals will, I am sure, sustain more damage, dendrobes have leaf drop, and Catts sail through with the least damage. Fingers crossed..!! So much for global warming!

albertan

200 vandas out in the cold. WOW that's alot of money to risk !! I tend to give my vandas more protection as well as better care for that reason. I have 5 growing on the trees had a low of 33 for almost two hours. Had 35 earlier.
I did cover them but no heat. My heating system broke down in the shadehouse so naturally I knew there would be record cold!!lol So even those were chilled a bunch.!!!
Have fingers and toes crossed . Good luck with yours.
gary

Always remember that trees, overhangs, etc. will have temps 5-10F higher than out in the open. On my screened porch, the temps usually stay above freezing even when the backyard is in the 20s. Of course, if there is a wind blowing, that will nullify the advantage. Best scenario is on the leeward side (usually south) under some sort of overhead cover like a house overhang, a porch, a tree. Sometimes I will set plants under a bush.

Of course, when we go down into the teens, the few tropical plants I keep outside will all have to come in (I don't keep orchids outside at less than 40F, and even then it is only the cold hardy types like Laelia purps).

Gary--I no longer think of the investment--I haven't added a plant in at least five years, so they don't owe me a thing. A goodly number have given me pleasure for 15 years or more. The latest two hurricanes have reduced the numbers from 4000 to 1500 and I have sold about 500 since. They are no longer in show condition, but continue to bloom and give me pleasure. My SS checks treated my orchid fever for 25 years before my diminishing stamina cured it! Fellow members of one of my orchid societies take turns in caring for my babies--there are no people like orchid people!

Hey ..I think I remember you Alberta ? Years ago we talked many times u r the greatest help and wonderful person.. I also think I bought my orchid show tickets from you and maybe orchid cards from someone you know ? Sound right about 5 or so years ago. I had a sick parent and a young son fell out of the game.
My vandas needed a lot of care and I did have trouble having so many not like you at all but a lot . I bought a lot from Glen was it who had the place up by Morakami and it got distroyed?
He was very expensive but outrageous his stuff had the best root systems I had ever seen.
I remeber hide away orchids too.
Such fun and this forum ..It keeps ya going when things are tough..I don't know what I'd do without sharing that common love of these unbelievable plants.
This cold sure woke me up ( a good thing )
I can't afford to loose orchids like in the past and I plan to get more and find more ways to make them and me happier;')

I tried that vase soaking once a week like posted on here ..I thought that had been the the fist shock that started the Blue princess Mikassa going but now I know it was the extreme drop in temps wow what a blast of cold we got ...Who knew ??
Fyi oneday awhile back I heard durring our cold snap maybe November here ..Denver ( of all places hit 80)
GO figure globle warming...

Yes--It be me, and thank you! You were using another identity, but I do remember you, too. My health has changed rather drastically in the meantime, I have thankfully accumulated a few more years and still love my babies. Remember me next year for discount tickets to Ft. Lauderdale show! Unfortunaytely, GEM orchids is now located in Hawaii and is no longer retail. Welcome back to the Forum!

Hi All..Alberta yes it is the same name and my cards that I had printed are Vandavixen. Can you give me the formula again for pests on these babies and how often to spray ..I had a jasmine infestation of mealys I think the cold weather and spraying helped loose all leaves ( on the jasmine).
I can't believe Gene is in Hawaii..wow my best friend is in Maui ...
My vanda here is doing better guys you think it will grow new leaves soon? I'm just praying it will return back to normal.
What do you think ?Thanx J'aaime