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Tropicals and Temperature 11 months 1 week ago #79918

  • Ivan Mann
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I have several tropicals, and the care guides for most of them say they should not be outside when temps drop below 10C/50F.

Weather here has turned sort of demonic. We will have 5-6 days way of lows at 16C/60F and highs way above that, followed by two or three days of below. The low last night was 42F/6C or so. Tonight not as cold, but still way below the limit. Long range says expect another three nights like this in eight days, and another one week after that, but only 2 degrees below and only for one night.

I want to move the plants outdoors and I want them to get sunshine, etc., all the benefits of outdoors. They should be playing outside just like the grandkids.

How dangerous is two hours below 50F/10C? Do the benefits of a week of sunshine, temps during the day at 25C/75F for hours and hours outweigh what could happen in two hours?

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Tropicals and Temperature 11 months 1 week ago #79919

  • Tropfrog
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I guess it depends on species not if they are classified as tropical or not. All species I grow classified as tropicals are doing great in 5c overwintering room all winter except for fukien tea. But fukiens is another story, nobody seems to know for sure how to manage them in winter.

Another issue is moisture lever. Many tropicals do great in low temperature If fairly dry, but will rot the roots If wet.

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Tropicals and Temperature 11 months 1 week ago #79926

  • Ivan Mann
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Specifically I have a willow leaf ficus, jaboticaba, and baobab. The ficus is too big and heavy to move in out unless I can take 30 years off my back.

The baobab always looks pitiful until I move it outside then the sun or something gets to it and it bursts out.

The jaboticaba also loves going out. I can move the two in and out every couple of days, keep them in, or leave them out. Lows are 55F/12C coming up, followed by three nights at 41-43F/5-6C, with highs around 60F/14C.

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Tropicals and Temperature 11 months 1 week ago #79929

  • Tropfrog
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I have no own experience with the species. But reading up on them this is what I would do. Not a rekommendation for you :)

Baobab natural distribution in arabian peninsula would make me take it outdoor when it is above 10c and dry only. Cold and wet is a reall killer for plants from there.

Jaboticaba from Brazil would have no problem with wet feets. Grows up to an elevation of 1200meters. At that elevation it can get quite cold. I would not be afraid to put it outdoors in 5c.
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Last edit: Post by Tropfrog.
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