Shade cloth %

[rymor]

New outdoor grow space in a new house.

I am in SE PA, and the area gets full sun from 10-11am until evening. I acclimate plants on their trek out from under lights with a week of full shade and gradually increasing from that.

I grow mostly higher light plants- cattleya alliance, catasetum, and dendrobium.

Any experience in this area of the US and what shade cloth % do you use?

[Bayard]

I use Aluminet 50% now, then switch to 60% when it starts getting hot in the summer. It keeps the the greenhouse cooler that way. Outdoors you would probably do well with that range.

[hypostatic]

OK, let's say you're in Lancaster PA. You can go to First Rays' Natural Sunlight Intensity >> First Rays LLC , and you'd find that you'd get a max of 9800 footcandles of light intensity in the peak of summer (74 degrees).

If you're going for the 5000 FC max for catts, you'd want to block out 49% of the sunlight. So if you're going for a percent shade, I'd say go in the range of 40%-60%.

[Roberta]

Another consideration in deciding between 50% and 60% is duration of direct sun. With full sun from 10-11 AM to sunset (through the heat of the day) I'd lean toward 60%. My California yard runs east-west, mostly unshaded, and so gets pretty much full blazing sun from fairly early morning to near sunset, and I use mostly 60% Aluminet(Paphs get 70%Aluminet, Cymbidiums get 45% "generic" shade cloth that just takes the edge off.)

[DirtyCoconuts]

monir derail, where do you guys get your alimunet cloth? i just have the Home Depot one

[Ray]

Originally Posted by rymor

New outdoor grow space in a new house.

I am in SE PA, and the area gets full sun from 10-11am until evening. I acclimate plants on their trek out from under lights with a week of full shade and gradually increasing from that.

I grow mostly higher light plants- cattleya alliance, catasetum, and dendrobium.

Any experience in this area of the US and what shade cloth % do you use?

Two points-of-reference for you:

I used 30% Aluminet in Doylestown, but my greenhouse had a fair amount of shade from tall trees.

Parkside Orchids, whose hoop houses were out in direct sunlight, used 30% in the winter, adding a second layer of 30% in the summer. For the record, two layers of 30% results in a 51% reduction, not 60%. (70% of the light penetrates the top layer, and 70% of that penetrates the lower layer. 0.7 x 0.7 = 0.49 transmission)

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

monir derail, where do you guys get your alimunet cloth? i just have the Home Depot one

Gothic Arch Greenhouses in Mobile AL will custom-make it to your specs and has the best price going.

[DirtyCoconuts]

sweet thanks!

[Roberta]

I get it at shadeclothstore.com I have been very satisfied with their service.

[Fairorchids]

Here comes the heretic (me):

I believe in giving the plants as high light as they can tolerate. Here in NJ (same latitude as you), I grow my Cymbidiums in full sunlight (zero shade cloth)!

If they go out before May 1st, I put them directly on the open benches. Later than that, and they go under shade cloth for 5-7 days, then into full sun. In order to tolerate the full sun, I also have to water them a lot. I give them 2 hours with a sprinkler, every 2-3 days (depending upon weather).

I treat my Laelia anceps and Dendrobium kingianum (and their hybrids) exactly the same way. They do just fine (and grow VERY well).

3 years ago, I included a couple of Laeliocattleyas by mistake. Both were 50% L. anceps, and both did far better in full sun, than they ever did in the greenhouse.

If you prefer to use shade cloth, I would recommend:
7-10 days under 50-60% (or in the shade of a tree).
Then use 30-35% shade cloth for the rest of the season.

NOTE: Plants grow as a function of light, water & fertilizer. If you increase one factor, you must increase the other two. In higher light, water & fertilize more frequently.

By the way, I just finished my new Vanda rack. They will be going out as soon as night time temps are consistently above 52-55F. They will start under shade cloth for a week, then they go into full sun also. However, for this group, I have to sprinkle twice daily (10 AM & 1:30 PM) for the plants to handle full sun.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Kim, i want to snuggle with that Vanda rack!!