Different light needs?

[Dimples]

Originally Posted by Ray

Possibly, but if you consider the dust-like qualities of orchid seed, who's to say where they end up!

Very true, but if they end up germinating in a highly exposed location, perennial seedlings are far less likely to survive to maturity unless environmental conditions are perfect or near-perfect for the first few years. It's much easier for a tiny to mid-sized, wild sown, perennial seedling to survive heatwaves, droughts, or unusually cold temps (compared to what the species is adapted to) when surrounded by larger plants of any type to buffer the extremes.

Annual plants are a different story. They'll grow and set seeds anywhere they land. I haven't had to plant or tend cilantro, nasturtium, calendula, sunflowers, or dill in years! LOL

[RoseSD]

Originally Posted by Dimples

The general trend in plants is that seedlings do best with less light than adult plants. For example, if an adult plant of species-X needs full sun, the seedlings will grow well under 30% shade cloth until they're large enough to tolerate full sun. Hopefully, some Catt. growers will chime in with specifics for you and your setup.

Edit: reread your question and noticed it was about light length/duration, not intensity. Sorry.

Actually it is about intensity also. Too bad I only have one type of shade cloth at 70%. However I imagine cumulative exposure of outdoor light matters too as intensity builds up?

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by RoseSD

Actually it is about intensity also. Too bad I only have one type of shade cloth at 70%. However I imagine cumulative exposure of outdoor light matters too as intensity builds up?

If it were me, I'd probably do 30% shade in winter and 50% shade in summer. Maybe less if you have nice cool (< 85 degrees) temps.

[RoseSD]

Photo might help?
Large, medium, small. 😁

[RoseSD]

Originally Posted by isurus79

If it were me, I'd probably do 30% shade in winter and 50% shade in summer. Maybe less if you have nice cool (< 85 degrees) temps.

You can see how much light 70% shade clothing let's in in my photo above. To me it is rather bright especially for the afternoon sun.

My cym are moved to against the wall now so they get only direct sun in the morning for an hour.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by RoseSD

You can see how much light 70% shade clothing let's in in my photo above. To me it is rather bright especially for the afternoon sun.

My cym are moved to against the wall now so they get only direct sun in the morning for an hour.

From the photos, I don't see any seedlings. (I'd consider a "seedling" something with 2 inch leaves that are maybe half an inch wide in in a 2 or 3 inch pot) Those can all be treated same as mature plants. I think that the Catts can take quite a bit more light - just increase it gradually. As for the Cyms, with just an hour of morning light I would place your odds of ever getting flowers at close to zero. You might get lucky occasionally, but Cyms want a good bit more light than Catts and for longer. My Cyms are under 40% shade cloth, in summer they get sun from half an hour after sunrise to half an hour before sunset, No trees to block the sun... when I first moved to this house I had no shading at all... they ere were a little big stressed in mid-summer but still grew and bloomed. The bit of shade to take the edge off the summer noon day sun did help, Leaves are yellow-green (sort of "lime green"), and bloom well every year. If they are dark green they're not getting enough light, Again,, increase it gradually so that they acclimate, Sudden increase of sun may toast a few leaves, but if done gently over a period of a few weeks, they'll be fine,

My Catts are under 60% shade cloth, but again with no shade trees, they get a high level of light all day in summer -so not only intensity but lots of duration - and they are hanging up high.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by RoseSD

You can see how much light 70% shade clothing let's in in my photo above. To me it is rather bright especially for the afternoon sun.

Remember that what our eyes (and brain) perceives as bright is very different than what the plants do! Our ability to see in low light situations means that office lighting appears bright to us, but would not be bright enough to grow any but the most shade tolerant of plants.