Moving orchid collection, need light advice!

[Sekhmet]

Hey All,

I am moving to a new apartment in about a month. Currently, I have all of my orchids (15) on an east facing window which receives direct sun for a few hours each morning and ambient light for the rest of the day (although there has been precious little of either here in the PNW this year!). My phals and oncidiums are happy, growing and flowering. My two Zygos could probably use more light...

Here is the problem. They apartment I am moving into is almost completely devoid of east facing windows. They are all very small and since this is a basement apartment, sunken, meaning they will get virtually no direct light.

It has a lovely WEST facing window and a north facing window. The 'chids will HAVE to go on the west facing window, and I am nervous about burning them to death. My question is this:

Will sheer curtains save me? What can I do to ease my plants into this new light situation? I plan on using sheer curtains, and setting the phals and paphs back a bit from the window (the sill is about 10 inches deep), and putting my dracula behind the phals and paphs.

Any advice would be so greatly appreciated. I haven't moved in 4 years, and my 'chid collection has grown considerably in that time. I really love my babies (and they weren't cheap, either!) and don't want them to die!

[camille1585]

I think a west facing window with sheer curtains should work fine.
When I'm home for the summer in France I even grow my orchids (phals and other low light orchids included) behind a huge south facing window in the basement. I put up a shadecloth and that worked perfectly. They were getting direct sun for 6-7 hours a day, but with the shade cloth there was no burning.
In the beginning you would probably need to monitor the plants closely, maybe even put them on a table in front of the window for a few weeks so they're a bit further away.

[RosieC]

I agree with Camille, I think a sheer curtain will work and if you can have them a little back as well as you suggest that will also help.

I've had mine for short periods (a few weeks) behind a sheer curtain on the west side of the house and they were fine for that.

[Sekhmet]

Whew, alright...looks like I will be sewing some sheer curtains soon...I hope it works, I really don't want to lose anybody! One of my phals is probably 10 years old!

[camille1585]

It's not as if your orchids have been living in the dark. Sounds like they are used to direct light from where they were previously, so they will adjust more quickly to the extra/stronger light. If you keep a close eye on them for the first few weeks, they will probably be alright.