First Night Below 60F

[roberthu]

I feel a lot of us in this thread are generalizing the care of tropical species. One think I want to note is I brought mine in because they were all recently repotted. less than 2 weeks ago in fact. So I took caution when it comes to cold damage especially with strong winds.

Also, different species have different cold tolerance. Even same species can have different cold tolerance depending on how they were cared for in the summer. Generalization usually leads to unwanted outcome and that's something we all want to avoid.

 

[Cadillactaste]

If I followed this advice I'd never put tropicals out. For most of my summer, night time temps are in the low to mid 50's F. I leave my ficus (microcarpa, rubiginosa, willow leaf) out unless we have a frost warning. They seem to do fine with night time temps in the 40's. They don't show significant damage with a brief frost but I try to avoid that anyway.

I two step them.

 

[penumbra]

I don't think there is a right or wrong here, it is a matter of what works for you after trial and error. My ficus never see below mid 40s and usually never below mid 50s. They are in and they will stay there until late April. I cannot offer most of my tropicals a guaranteed 65F as the house temp in by basement can dip into the mid 50's though it is generally about 60F My plant room is kept in the mid 70s, but it is only about 6 x 10 feet and will not hold but a fraction of my plants, so I use it primarily for cuttings, young plants and especially sensitive plants. I would prefer a steady house temp of 65F but when you heat with wood, and all you wood is free, you soon abandon your furnace.
As to light, as days are getting shorter I offer my plants a steady 14 hour day which helps preventing some plants from going dormant. My willow leaf figs will do so with reduced temps and shorter days as do some of my others. I am perfectly content with some of my plants reaching dormancy. I have grown plants in 22, 18 and 14 hour days and have seen very little difference unless temps are 80F or more.
I would also mention that all plants adapt within a range that can not be measured and compared from one location to the next.

 

[Carol 83]

Alright, you got me, I went ahead and moved ‘em in:

 

[armetisius]

36 F here right now, all tender trops inside and snug
I have already learned my lesson in years past. It is the right move.

What is the right move is the move that works for you

 

[leatherback]

If I followed this advice I'd never put tropicals out. For most of my summer, night time temps are in the low to mid 50's F. I leave my ficus (microcarpa, rubiginosa, willow leaf) out unless we have a frost warning. They seem to do fine with night time temps in the 40's. They don't show significant damage with a brief frost but I try to avoid that anyway.

Same here. Our warmest month is july, with average lowest temps (So nights) 13C, which would be about 55F

 

[Mayank]

One think I want to note is I brought mine in because they were all recently repotted. less than 2 weeks ago in fact. So I took caution when it comes to cold damage especially with strong winds.

Better safe than sorry. And you're right about different species, conditions, etc.
Me on the other hand, ours stay out till literally the bitter (cold) end! 36F and they didn't skip a beat. Soon it'll be time for the two step though. I also feel like some of them (like the Fukien tea) go into a brief hibernation/rest period after this high 30s, low 40s exposure. They do lose leaves (esp the adenium) but come back. Try to not overwater them inside when they're in that phase. Once thanksgiving is gone they start coming back slowly. Done this for over 15 years with the trops and no issues.

 

[Carol 83]

Lows have been in the 40's and so far so good. But the forecast shows high 30's Thursday and Friday and low 40's for the next week. I've been trying to hold out until my new plant stand arrives, but it's time. They're coming in tomorrow night.

 

[roberthu]

Lows have been in the 40's and so far so good. But the forecast shows high 30's Thursday and Friday and low 40's for the next week. I've been trying to hold out until my new plant stand arrives, but it's time. They're coming in tomorrow night.

Maybe a few days in the garage is fine until the new stand arrives?

 

[Carol 83]

Maybe a few days in the garage is fine until the new stand arrives?

Ah, detached garage farther to move the trees than just bringing them in the house. I'm only moving them once. Stupid weather.

 

[hinmo24t]

Look at you with your Fahrenheit scale!
Lol!

Been hitting 42f overnight.....amd holding for hours.

Mine came in a few days ago.

Yeah. Not worth the risk in my opinion

 

[TN_Jim]

transition from full sun to straight indoors without step or two decreasing full sun exposure can stress tropicals

 

[penumbra]

We hit the mid 30s three days in a row two weeks ago. Supposed to be in the 30s Friday. I am ahead of the game for once and now its time to start readying my temperate zoned plants.

 

[penumbra]

transition from full sun to straight indoors without step or two decreasing full sun exposure can stress tropicals

Agree, but not with my set up. I have learned a thing or three over years of trial and error.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

My ficus came in a couple weeks ago and showing new growth already despite a dip to 43f. They are going slow, but that’s ok. I have the “blurple” LEDs and I turned down the white light for just a couple days because the reds are included there. In my experience the only burning I get is from the red spots, maybe heat?

 

[penumbra]

My ficus came in a couple weeks ago and showing new growth already despite a dip to 43f. They are going slow, but that’s ok. I have the “blurple” LEDs and I turned down the white light for just a couple days because the reds are included there. In my experience the only burning I get is from the red spots, maybe heat?

I am seeing quite a bit of new growth too. I have abandoned blurple LED and am using both 3500 K cob LED and 6500K LED as well as 6400 K T5. I was reluctant to use as low a kelvin rating as 3500 but I am in my 3rd year with them and they are doing their job with much less offense to my aging eyes.

 

[sorce]

@penumbra can't believe it's that cold down there already!

I'm debating dragging them in for the 42 night, but I think we already had lower!

Sorce

 

[Carol 83]

Two shelves loaded, 1 more to go. Good grief.

 

[roberthu]

Two shelves loaded, 1 more to go. Good grief.View attachment 332340

Wow! Are you relying on the light through the window only?

 

[Carol 83]

Wow! Are you relying on the light through the window only?

No I have grow lights also, just haven't got them set up yet. I was hoping to not have to bring them in yet. I'll finish up this weekend. Just a bit worried about temps in the 30's predicted.