Whitecat, what is easy in the tropical lowlands is difficult here and probably there. We are talking about different worlds!

The stats tell the story, last year in the General Orchid Society where i am the general dogs body there were 1957 orchids exhibited at three shows and monthly meetings. "Phalaenopsis" hybrids exhibited count was 85 and of those 85, 69 were owned by two growers who have glasshouses set especially for Phalaenopsis.

A glasshouse doesn't always mean "Tropical" there is one in Wales set for mediterranean climate, a refreshing change from all those Tropical houses with their lush foliage.

I keep fiddling with my little collection of Phals. because i like them. They are in their winter quarters in this room. Current conditions: Temp 18.7 humidity 66%.

What about the two glasshouses down the backyard? Current outside and glasshouse temperature is about 8.0C at 0500 hours.

The heater has just come on in the "warm" Glasshouse and will run for two hours to lift temp a bit. There is no heating in the other glasshouse.

Heck Arthur,

That's why growing them here in the northern US is so much fun too :-)

I dedicate an entire spare bedroom to the orchids (part of why I only have 75-80 orchids, @30 of which are phals) for the colder months of the year, which is usually 7-8 months out of the year here. I can usually get them outside from late May thru early October, inside under lights and heat the rest of the time.

You just have to "want it" bad enough and pay the associated electrical bills. Which you are doing with your small collection of phals currently.

I guess soem of us don't consider it difficult, just part of what has to be done to grow them here in the northern US states.

Bob

Thanks Arthur. So your temps are too cool most of the year, if I'm understanding you. It'd be great to have a lot of Cyms.

Bob, interesting about your spare bedroom. Most of mine are in the "guest room," as my guy insists on calling the orchid room, aka the E/SE smallish spare bedroom. About half Phals, half other I to W temp plants. In the winter, temps need an occasional boost from a space heater, esp. for these milder winters, for a negligible increase in heating costs. Do your heating bills go up quite a bit?

Y'all take care, WC8

WC8,

I heat and cool the room most of the year, but I do see a slight increase when the lights are burning full time. The lights kind of make up for the lack of heat in the winter, depending on outside temps I will sometimes close off the vent in the room and close the door because the lights can keep the room hot enough. Again, just a slight increase in winter and the room usually stays 4-7 degrees warmer than the rest of the house, so it's nice to escape there on cold dreary days.

I use the room partially during the summer also, usually for the cooler growers, special plants and bloomers. I've switched some things over to LED and CFL, but still run a 72" x 48" 3-tiered 4 x 40Watt T12s per tier light cart. I try to shut down 2 of the 3 tiers during the summer. The LED and CFL's are not nearly as hot and give me more bang for the buck. But I can squeeze a boat load of plants on that 3-tiered cart in the the other months.

Before I started moving most plants outside and put in the LEDs and CFLs, keeping the room cool in summers was more of an issue as it was hard to control the A/C in the one room that ran 15-20 degress warmer than the rest of the house (mid 80's to low 90's was not unusual in hot months). I almost got to the point of putting in a small room A/C unit, but never did. (Too dry and I'm too cheap :-) )

As far as phals and struggling at > 90 degrees, I've never had a problem, even at upper 90's. But then they are shaded after 11:00 in my outside set-up also.

Anything under 50 degrees for an extended period concerns me, and I will drag 'em in at that point.

Bob

Bob, makes sense. I have 3 CFLs & 1 LED, so not as much impact. I'm keeping this short because I got off-track.

Arthur, my apologies. WC8

Whitecat, why are you apologising? Just to add a bit more....
There is almost Nil experience experience of growing under lights among the orchid growers in Sydney, Australia.

Almost none of the homes are centrally heated because the climate is pretty mild. It has never snowed, though a few years ago there were banner headliines because it sleeted for a few minutes. BIG FREEZE. Growers do not move their collections in and out. Collections are OUT all year.

So the Phal. growing competition has been a dud. It will not translate into 40 or so members having a nice flowering Phal. in a year or two. Sigh!

Apologizing for morphing from why Phals are difficult in your neck of the woods to a conversation w/ Bob about his particular conditions in Ohio.

Yeah, poor Phals. Sounds as if it'd be a lot of effort and cost to raise them. The idea of orchids being outside all year 'round... sigh.

Enjoy all the orchids it'd be impractical for Minnesotans to try to grow. WC8