are west windows too much for orchids?

[gardengirl13]

I have a huge window in our living room that right now has cactus and my rosemary which over-winters there every year. I've never put anything else in that window because in the summer the roof overhang is deep and plants will get sun after 3pm, but it's very intense hot sun. Most of the time it makes the room hot and we close the curtains. I'd consider putting up sheers under the blackout curtains we have (partly for the heat in summer, partly for the cold in winter and partly for the light which makes it hard to see the TV.)

Is it ok to put orchids there? I always thought no due to the intensity of the sun. Yes it's post 3pm evening sun, but in Aug it's hot. Would a sheer be enough to keep some of the heat out and put some orchids there? i don't have a lot of room in the south and east windows and would like to add a few more orchids to my collection. Some I assume I can move from the south window (which is somewhat sheltered in summer so it's more like a SE type window) then put ones who want a little less light there. Or i can get a few who will like really bright light in the pm. The window due to it's size is bright all day even in winter, it also doesn't have a screen which also brightens it. So the plants would be fairly bright all day then strong sun in the pm.

[cbuchman]

I have been successful using the shade from bigger/taller plants to lessen the overly bright light for my orchids. Would that work for you?

[Paul Mc]

Well, generally we like to avoid afternoon sun and tend to favor stronger morning sun. However, that's not a rule since some such as Cattleya's may actually like that. Dunno...

I'd say it may be too bright for Phals, Paphs, Phrags, some Oncidiums and some Dendrobiums. If you can shelter them a bit or sit them away from the light a bit further into the room, may work.

If you want to try moving them in, just keep touching the leaves during day one. If they are getting warm or hot, then you should reduce the light on them.

[SlipperGirl]

Maybe you could use artificial lighting I dont get alot of light in my house so i put my plants under artificial lights and they have been doing fine.

[lkg1323]

I use a west window - it's really just about being attentive for a week or two. You have to spend at least one sunny day checking leaf temps throughout the day to see if anyone is getting too much sun with not enough cooling.

Note any changes in appearance, etc. and move them all according to how much light they seem to like. I don't have any of my chids directly in the sill, but I'm sure a bunch could gradually be moved there if it works with your set up.

I was afraid to put my plants in my west window (I have a small alcove that I wanted to dedicate to them so that I didn't have to have plants strewn over random sills) - I kept reading about staying away from west windows, esp. in winter. The truth is - I'm doing so much better with this. It gives me a more constant amount of light, and takes a lot of the guess work out (it's harder for someone who's newer, like me, to guestimate what plants should be getting how much light, when they're all in different windows with different light).
It's also showed me that my plants weren't getting enough light - man, do my catts look so much better (lighter) - I say go for it!

[Paul Mc]

That's excellent advice about monitoring them for a few weeks, spend a sunny day touching the leaves and adjusting, and slowly moving them into more light. We don't want to harm them with "light shock"! LOL...

I have some in my West window that gets pounded hard like yours. I even have Phals in a smaller one which limits the light they get just a tad. But man are they usually a healthy green with some slight purple edges and undersides!!! And those always bloom the strongest as well!

With a collection of about 130 orchids, I have to say that I don't always have perfect conditions either, but you play until you can figure it out and then hope you can remember the placement in the next reshuffle, lol...

Best if luck! Please let us know what you decide to do!

[gardengirl13]

Well I asked at OL where I'll most likely be getting my orchid (unless I find something local soon) they said the one that I'm thinking of getting should be ok. It can go outside in the summer in the heat. I have a few catts which I could move also as I said and if I get one that won't want so much can go in the south window.

I do have a smaller west window but I'm not in that room every day. I want my flowers where I'll see them every day. I even tried putting a low light orchid in the bathroom which has decent eastern light, and even though I'm in that room at least once a day I still feel like it's not as viewable. Sounds silly, but that's how it is. That's also why I'd never go as far as a greenhouse unless I had a decent size one where I'd be doing veggies and fruit and be in there every day.

The orchids I don'd know much about is cymbidiums if they can go outside and in decent light would they be ok in a western window?

The window is a picture window with a screened window on each side which get less light due to the screens and the curtains. I have a bookcase in the window where the cactus and herbs go, I thought of getting a cheap plant stand and put the cym next to the book case. Or get a fun new orchid (I have three I really want, but finances are very sketchy right now) and move the catts.

I do plan on moving something over once the christmas tree is gone. With the sun less strong in this window in the winter I think it'll acclimate better then in July.

I'll see what I get tomorrow if they have anything fun for christmas, or maybe wait until feb/mar since they tend to have a lot then. We'll see. If anyone else has any ideas keep them coming. I will do the leaf temp tests when I do it though! Thanks!

[Bud]

you can hang Vandas and Mokaras there in winter and bring them all out in the warmer months under the shade of trees....

[gardengirl13]

I realy hesitate to bring my orchids outside. Even the houseplants I have stay inside year round. We have been having strangely mild winters lately (you know you're close to me) and it's doing a number on our bug population. We're getting more bugs who are then doing more damage to plants they never bothered before, like eating rosemary and sage?! What bug does that!? Ours, that's who! I don't want to go through all this hard work to bring them outside and have them eaten in a few days. I'd rather keep the windows open and get fresh air and sun that way.

i was thinking of a vanda. OL has one I really want. It's very small right now and for the size quite pricy, but it looks very nice once it will grow up a bit. But it also states it's somewhat odd and likes phal light. So I assume that's out. Only 1 of the 3 or 4 I want could go in this much sun. Otherwise I'll be moving my catt/encyclias over and putting the new one where they are.

We drove by that store yesterday and the parking lot was SO packed we drove right by without stopping. So sadly I didn't find anything.

[james mickelso]

You can modify the west light intensity by moving the orchids farther away from the glass. The farther away from the glass the less intense the light. And heat. In the winter there should be a softer light and you can move them fairly close but come april/may you can start to move them farther away.