Shadecloth questions

[cabbo]

What percentage sunblock and what color shadecloth are people using. I have a bright window that I want to put some shadecloth on. I'm growing onc. den. and catt's. Thanks for any help offered

[BikerDoc5968]

Don't know that the actual color makes much of a difference to the plants... it's more what you want to look at... white stays cooler, black hotter. %%%%%% ??? 30 to 50 maybe but I do phals so I'm at 60% in March/April. Change over to 70% June through August and back to 60 until mid-October and nothing the rest of the winter.

[mojomick]

I use a 70% black but I live in the high desert of Eastern Washington and it gets hot. Some I know keep their shadecloths on all year round. Betty

[bodaciousbonsai]

i use a 50% shade cloth here in wester NY during our somtimes brutal hot summer days. I also use compaion plants such as clematis growing over my arbor to the orchid tables.

[bodaciousbonsai]

If its straight sun I would go with a 70% shade cloth since the sun is considered 10,000 fc that would put you in the range of 3,000 fc. This is Good for cattleya and dendrobium and oncidium species or hybrids

[bonsai1504]

What direction is the window facing? If it is east i wouldn't put any shade cloth. If it is north, your concern would be not enough light. IF it is west, Maybe something like a 10% shade cloth. If south, Probably somewhere in the range of 20-30%.

[Bob2741]

I use 60% In Ky

[BikerDoc5968]

Originally Posted by bonsai1504

What direction is the window facing? If it is east i wouldn't put any shade cloth. If it is north, your concern would be not enough light. IF it is west, Maybe something like a 10% shade cloth. If south, Probably somewhere in the range of 20-30%.

With all due respect, Cullen, I've had phals in an east-facing window and burned the @*&% out of them. And even now in my GH which is somewhat protected by the home from AM sun, I have to put at least 60% on by the 15th of this month and up to 70% by June 1st. So what you are growing, the location of the plants and just stuff can make a difference....Oh, and, Bob, the only reason you can get away with 60% in KY is because you're always standing over them hoping they'll do something different...you failed to mention that...it's OK, I got ya covered...erh that was you covering all those chids

[DebsC]

I use 60% from April to about mid October in my greenhouse. I grow primarily catts.

[cabbo]

I figured I would see alot of different answers. Of course it depends on type of plants, direction of exposure and latitude. Thanks for all the good input!