North-East window

[abeauty2b10]

Hi there,
I have a concern with a sufficient amount of light for my orchids. I live in a court so my house sits at a diagonal. Where I have my orchids is in a North-East facing window. My question is, is that enough light for them. The best lighting in the house is in my boys room which they are ages 2 and 4 so you can see my dilemma. I have one cat. that is a dark colored green and another that is light and the rest of them somewhere in the middle. Help!

[smartie2000]

What types of orchids are you growing?

A north-east window is sufficient enough for phals. Also mottled leaved paphs too. However if you are lucky you may even bloom a catt hybrid, though the flower count will be low and you have to wait patiently.

However it also depends on the size of the window too. Larger windows seem to give better results whatever the direction it is facing. Small narrow windows give the problems in my experience, I haven't bloomed anything on a small southern facing window so I stopped using it even though southern windows give the highest lighting.

[cb977]

Different orchid families take different levels of lilght...what are you growing?

[Tommyr]

If need be you could add additional lighting to suppliment the natural lighting...

Tom

[abeauty2b10]

I'm growing cattleya, dendrobbium, oncidium, phalaenopsis, and a few no names. My window is 70" width x 45 length. Thank you for your help.

[Tommyr]

You'll have to add lights to get some of them to do well. Flourescent lights. 4 foot shop lights would be fine. You do NOT need "special" tubes, normal tubes work just fine. Replace about once a year as they're light deminishes over time.

Tom

[Ross]

I agree with Tommy, however to get really bright light for Oncidiums and Dendros, you'll need to use the t8 (not t12) tubes. Daylight are fine. I'd get a four tube light though as that will give twice the lumens. Still not as bright as t5, but if the light is 1 to 2 feet from the plants that will help.