How to Care for Outdoor Orchids With Temperatures in the 30s
- 1). Wrap outdoor orchid plants in a bed sheet, blanket or piece of burlap. These fabrics are lightweight and allow the plant to breathe while protecting them from the cold.
- 2). Place a sheet of plastic over the covered plants. Plastic offers an extra measure of protection from wind. Make sure the plastic does not directly touch the plants, and remove the plastic once the sun comes out, since plastic can overheat the plants and cook them.
- 3). Tie the cover down at the base of the plant with a piece of twine to keep it from blowing away in the wind or being carried off by animals.
- 4). Place an extra layer of mulch around the base of orchid plants to protect them from freezing temperatures. Remove the extra mulch once temperatures rise.
- 5). Water orchid plants once the freeze is over and you remove the coverings. If the leaves lose water through transpiration while the water in the soil is frozen, there will be no water available for the plant to use. Watering the plants will help thaw the soil and provide water for the plant.
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