If you follow me on twitter, you’ll know that I spent the weekend working in the garden. My hands are a bit sore from all of the weeding and trimming I did, but I’ve managed to type my latest Orchid Care and Maintenance Tip. This one is all about temperature–hope you enjoy it! 
One of the most frequently asked questions from orchid newbies is “How do I get my orchid to rebloom?“ You’ll find all sorts of solutions on the internet dealing with water, fertilizer, maybe light, but rarely do you see someone share what I feel is the true secret to getting your orchid to rebloom….TEMPERATURE!
It is a fact! Proper temperature is EXTREMELY important for orchids, and here’s why:
Orchids will ONLY bloom when they are maintained in their optimal daytime and nighttime temperature ranges!
That’s right! Orchids enjoy different daytime and nighttime temperatures–they need these daily fluctuations in temperature to grow and bloom! (Just like eggs need to incubated within a narrow temperature range in order to hatch!) See my post on bud blast to learn what happens when temperatures fluctuate too much for orchids.
Orchids are typically classified into three different temperature categories: WARM, INTERMEDIATE and COOL. You know I like to keep things simple around here, so I’ve typed up a chart that shows the ideal temperature range for each category. (You’ll notice that daytime temperatures are at least 15 F higher than nighttime temperatures.)
ORCHID TEMPERATURE CATEGORIES
- WARM (Vanda and Phalaenopsis varieties)
- 65 F or higher (Nightime)
- 75 F to 90 F (Daytime)
- INTERMEDIATE (Cattleya and Paphiopedilum varieties)
- 55 F to 60 F (Nighttime)
- 70 F to 80 F (Daytime)
- COOL (Cymbidium and Dendrobium varieties)
- 45 F to 55 F (Nighttime)
- 60 F to 70 F (Daytime)
* You’ll find an extensive temperature chart detailing the ideal temperature fluctuations of over 20+ orchids on page 26 of Orchids Made Easy. Learn more about his free orchid care email newsletter here.
Just a quick reminder that a change in temperature should always coincide with a change in humidity. Make sure there is sufficient humidity when increasing temperatures and vice-versa.
That’s all I have for you now. Don’t miss Part II of my Temperatures for Orchids Series. I’ll be showing you the two handy little devices I use to monitor the temperature and humidity levels for my orchids.
Warmest wishes from sunny Florida,
Carol 
The Orchid Care Lady
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