Temp Diff for Phal to set bloom

[FrankP999]

I want to have my phals bloom earlier this year. They are presently under lights at 75-80 degrees with lots of new roots and new leafs.

In the past, I would move them outdoors in the fall as low temps drop to the 60's.

Right now, my outdoor temps are 90 highs and 68-70 lows. Would the drop from 90 to 70 initiate the bloom cycle? How many days/nights of this would be required to set the blooms?

Essentially, I want to start the bloom setting cycle in August instead of October.

Any suggestions or comments would be really appreciated. Thanks

Frank

[raybark]

Frank,

Dr. Yin-Tung Wang, then at Texas A&M, published a study in "Orchids" in which it was shown that it is not a day/night temperature drop that initiated spikes in phals. Rather is was a decrease in the average growing temperature that was important, and that it was about a 15°F reduction in the average over a 10-day to two week period that was most reliable.

That suggests that you're going to need to keep them at an average in the low 60's for a while.

[jean2]

Expose the orchid to warmer temperatures between 68 to 75 degrees F during the day and provide approximately 10 degrees lower than the daytime temperature in the night time. The ideal temperature in the night time is 60 to 70F. Keep your ochid in a completely dark room for atleast 10 hours each night for four weeks or until it starts to bloom.

Position the orchid where it can receive bright, but indirect or filtered sunlight for at least four hours each day, to ensure that when it begins to bloom, it will have the energy to do so prolifically.