Growing Orchids: November in St. Augustine
Based on Robert Scully's articles, courtesy of AOS

General Orchid Growing Tips Short days and cold nights necessitate adjustments for both plants and growers. Reduce water and fertilizer gradually until you reach your winter target, about half that of the summer levels. Don't fertilize winter dormant orchids and most dendrobiums after Thanksgiving. Prepare your plants for their winter home. Inspect them, remove dead leaves and sheaths with a sterile tool, spray for pests if necessary. Protect them when temperatures are projected to drop below their winter minimum acceptable temperature. Consider removing shading from the greenhouse to allow more light during the winter months.

Cattleyas Retie your cattleyas to support the new growth and orient the new growth toward the sun. New growths of Cattleya skinneri may have dried sheaths, do not remove them.

Dendrobiums For the commonly available dendrobiums, protect them when temperatures are projected to drop down to 55 or 60 F. The winter dormant dendrobiums (nobile, seminobile and callista sections) should be separated from your other plants so you can easily reduce the water and fertilizer they receive through Thanksgiving. Try bloom booster fertilizer in the fall to prepare them for the winter. Shoot for minimum temperatures of 40 F.

Oncidiums Stake your inflorescences as the spike grows for best presentation. Protect them when temperatures are projected to drop down to 40 or 50 F.

Phalaenopsis Phals are starting to spike now. Stake the inflorescence loosely once it gets around 10 inches long about 4 inches below the growing tip and move your tie upward as the spike elongates. Remember the flower will grow toward the light. If you move the plant, the flower spike will twist seeking out the sun so you won’t get graceful pendulous blooms. Some people put a spot of nail polish on the pot so they know which direction the pot should face. Shoot for minimum temperatures of 50 to 60 F.

Vandas Vandas should be in their winter homes in the brightest location possible. Shoot for minimum temperatures of 50 to 60 F. If you have Rhynchostylis gigantea, look for inflorescences that are emerging now for January flowering.

Miscellaneous Genera Winter resting plants include the Catasetinae (catasetum, clowesia, cycnoches and mormodes). These should be separated from your other plants so you can easily reduce the water and fertilizer they receive through Thanksgiving. Try bloom booster fertilizer in the fall to prepare them for the winter.