Light requirements - Orchid Board

ardera · #1 07-07-2009, 01:55 PM

When I spoke with my nearest Orchid Nursery,about the light requirements for my babies, they just said "low, low, medium, low, etc...". I currently have them (Blc Chia Lin 'New City', Mtssa.Royal Robe 'Jerry's Pick', Onc. Sharry Baby 'Sweet Fragrance', and an Angcm Lemforde 'White Beauty') in an east facing window, everything is about a foot at most from the window, and they all seem to get good strong morning light, except maybe the Jerry's pick, as he is on the end and gets some direct and some shade, and my Phal is behind them, also getting some dappled sun. I'm just worried, since I am new to this, as to whether or not they are getting adequate sun. My Phal used to be in a south window at my old apartment, so I'm not used to the East Window thing. I do have a south window now, and could put them there, if that is suggested, just means I would need to re-arrange my living room furniture.

Hedge · #2 07-07-2009, 04:57 PM

Hi and welcome

It would help if we knew where in the States you are as day length and light intensity vary with latitude. If you complete this part of your profile, then it will be shown on the header of every post you make and we'll be able to help more quickly

East windows are usually good for low light plants such as Phals, although I have to move mine away at this time of year,(in UK) its too hot next to the glass at the moment.

Hope fully someone else will add more when we know where you are!

Good growing

Heather

ardera · #3 07-07-2009, 05:05 PM

Sorry, thought I had filled out that info when I first registered, but I have updated that now.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #4 07-07-2009, 08:02 PM

Blc (Brassolaeliocattleya) is an intergeneric cross between Brassavola, Cattleya, Laelia, and/or Rhyncholaelia. These are all medium to high light orchids. As in bright indirect light like on a bright sunny porch.

Mtssa is an intergeneric cross between Miltonia and Brassia. These grow in medium light. Bright shade to dappled sun.

The Onc (Oncidium) and the Angcm (Angraecum) are also medium light.

If you need to know how many footcandles, lux, or lumens, someone with a light meter should help you.

ChasWG · #5 07-07-2009, 08:41 PM

ardera, I have many of my orchids in my East windows. I have one very large NOID Phal that seems to love being in my East, Master Bath window. It blooms, it grows new leaves and huge thick roots. I put it on the screen side of the window, meaning it gets less light than the non screened side. As for the other plant in that window, I have a Dendrobium Norma Jackson x that is right now growing a new stalk/Pbulb and all sorts of roots.

My other East window is a little different. It is in my basement and gets a lot of great morning sun, but the orchids there are also in an enclosure/small GH with supplimental lighting. About 800 watts total of CF and T5 tubes. In there I have three shelves all with different light amounts hitting the plants. The top shelf is high light plant realm. There I have a Brassavola cordata, Brassavola 'Little Stars', Onc. 'Carnival Costume', Neostylis Lou Sneary 'Bluebird', Dendro. aggragatum, and over in the darker corner (because it's new) is a BLC. 'Rustic Spots'.
Most of the plants on this shelf sit in a range of light anywhere from 1800 fc to 3800 fc depending on the time of day. The morning light bumps up the artificial light some untill about 11:30am. The lights are on for about 14 hours a day. The leaves on the Brassavolas, Onc. and Neostylis all have a tinge of red to them, meaning they are liking what they're getting. The Brassavolas are actually turning back to green from the dark purplish/red they were when I first set this up.

Shelf two has a NOID Dendro. only because I couldn't fit it on the top shelf, a Phal stuartiana on the darker side and a NOID phal. that seems to like a little more light. This shelf gets anywhere from 900 to 1800 fc. Then on the bottom with no lights on the shelf except for what filters down from about (about 400 to 700 fc) is the recovering or new section. There is one NOID Phal. down there now. It wants less light that the other NOID Phal. above it. No direct sun light hits this shelf.

The whole thing is covered in plastic and it has a humidifier in there to keep RH up above that of normal Colorado dryness. The average RH in the enclosure is around 60%.

RosieC · #6 07-08-2009, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hedge

East windows are usually good for low light plants such as Phals, although I have to move mine away at this time of year,(in UK) its too hot next to the glass at the moment.

Do you? I havn't moved mine (except the flowering ones so I can see them better).

They coped OK last year, although it was not really a hot summer last year in the UK was it. It HAS been hotter this year (until this week now it's rain rain rain) and they've not objected, although one of them which is in recovery has been kept back from the window.

I don't think I would have thought of bothering with an east facing window but I'll keep an eye out now, keep an eye on the weather.