How much sunlight for Dends?

[Lilac]

Hope everyone had a great holiday!

I was just wondering if the Black Friday sales apply to orchids too But no, either way I stay home on Black Friday.

I'd like to ask a question. I'm not sure if my dendrobiums and cattleyas are getting enough sunlight.

I have them on the south facing porch that has a non retractable awning. The sun they get is indirect sunlight.

Except for when the sun comes up about 45 minutes of dappled sun that sneaks in under the Eastern side of the awning, and when it's settin, about an hour and a half of the setting rays that sneak in on the Western side of the awning.

It seems as though they may need more sun,but I'm just not sure. Should they get more direct sun? or is that enough for them to grow and bloom?

[Optimist]

My mostly oncidium and Catalya orchids are in an North window with no awning. The Miltonia heritage of my oncidium tribe will sunburn with too much light. The cats have thick leaves because they take more sun. I keep the shades down slightly and have added a grow light. Don't ask. I am not an expert. I am just an experimenter. I was the one who repotted the plants at least 6 times before settling on the mix I wanted.

I think the whole question of "how much sun" depends on what orchids you have *specifically.*

Oncidiums with thin "corn" like leaves and thin roots like less sun than oncidiums with thick leaves and thicker roots. Cats seem to have thick leaves and thick roots, so they need more sun. (Mine are really growing well-- I have them in Lava rock with a little chopped spagham in it, with water at the bottom of the container. I have a ton of new roots starting).

I think you have to watch the plant and move it if necessary. For example: I read that oncidiums wanted cool weather to initiate growth sequence. I put mine outside for a few days in the wind last October. I got 3 spikes. Would this have happened if I had not put it out in the cold last October? Since I like flowers, I won't try that experiment. I will always put them out in October for a nice full week or so (under shade). I am in New Mexico, not Manitoba though, so conditions are different.

Right now, my Cattalyas are not growing spikes, they are growing what looks like new pseudobulbs. They are less than one inch long at the moment. They are growing roots too, and a little LC grew a nice leaf.

My understanding is they bloom in spring. My oncidiums bloom in winter, my cats bloom in spring. Do I think they are at the correct place in development for this feat? I think they are. How are yours going as far as development. Are they getting sunburnt? Are they growing?

Is the amount of sun you are giving them detrimental in any way?

Have you tried to count the amount of foot candles of light getting to them? I believe there are ways.

As far as black Friday-- we don't do a huge Christmas thing here. I bought a few things and kind of snicker at the people running and fighting at the store. I went to walmart Friday and bought a few hand towels for a dollar each, took something off layaway, and sat around listening to the stories of the shell shocked employees, glad that I was not a huge buying fanatic. Christmas to me is about food and family togetherness. I guess that is why I buy plants and not ipads. I am a simple kind of girl.

[Lilac]

Hi Optimist! I hear ya! I feel the same way too about the holidays, I think it best and I've gotten to dislike being in crowds more so than ever now.

Thanks for all the detailed info. I think they may be okay.

You've answered a doubt I had because I have two oncidiums, (with the thin corn like leaves)and had put these out on the porch railing where there's just a bit more sun. And much and to my surprise they are showing a lot of new growth! What I didn't know is that the nights are waaay cooler now, and THAT'S why the growth!!!

The dends seem okay too, no burn and some growth.

BUT the phals have been a surprise! I had them further back and had to bring them over to where the dends and cats are, because they were doing quite poorly, and now they are getting roots and leaf growth! Who knew? I thought they needed much shadier conditions! Not my phals, oh no

Which is why I was worried that the dends might not be getting enough. One of the phals is even spiking!!!

That was part of my confusion, if that make sense?

I'm just going to leave them where they are and stop worrying

Thanks again!

[NYCorchidman]

Phals do not grow in the shade. Well, shade can mean different things to different people, but many people take shade as really dark, dimly lit area.
Oh, no!

Phals need bright light to grow and flower well, just no direct sun.

I don't think I understand very well of your description. Even terms like indirect sunlight can be very confusing.

How long have you had your plants in the location where they are now? If over a year, have they bloomed? If yes, that means at least the light level is "enough" for them to flower.
How was the flowering performance? poor or great?
Depening on the answer to that question, you can relocate your plants to a brighter spot or not.

Oh, also, do you know what kind of cattleyas and dendrobiums you have? It is very important information so that others can better help you.

[catherinecarney]

I think the mistake we make with "shade" is thinking that it's the deep shade on the north side of a house or under conifers, and if you look at pictures of these plants in the wild it's not the case at all. "Dappled light" or "dappled shade" is a better description of light levels for many of these plants--patches of light that peek through the leaves of the trees and change location rather quickly as the position of the sun changes over the course of the day. It's the same sort of light you see under trees around here in the spring/summer as the leaves come out and even on the north side of most deciduous trees there are still these small patches of sunlight.

Also, remember that even though the window might face south, the light hitting the plants may not be as intense as outdoors due to roof overhangs and the effect of the panes of glass (single vs double vs triple pane for example). I have phals in a south window, but they are a couple of feet back from it and receive dappled light courtesy of other plants closer to the window. It works for me (and them) but it may not work for everyone....

Bottom line is to learn as much as you can about your particular varieties and learn to watch how they respond to your care. They will tell you by growth habits and leaf color if they are happy or not....

Catherine

[Lilac]

Hi NYCorchidman! I haven't had the phals long.I bought them a few months ago and so am fairly new to orchids and I thank you so much for the advice!
I did have them in a fairly dark area, which I thought as you explained that was what they needed, but they are doing much better now that they're a little closer to the indirect sunlight. The have new green roots and a leaf is growing from the middle . They do need a little sun too! Thanks!

---------- Post added at 11:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:19 PM ----------

Hi Catherine, thanks for the advice. Indeed the phals needed a little more sunlight.

I feel so much more at ease since you and NYCorchidman have validated this I was under the impression that they needed to be in a very dim area, not so. Thanks guys!

Wonderful to have this encyclopedia of orchid knowledge that is on this site!

Hugs!

[NYCorchidman]

Now your plant will be much happier and you will see it.

[catherinecarney]

Glad to help!