Help with phalaenopsis lighting adjustment
 

Hi all, I have a collection of phals on my bay window (east facing, Southern California) and they started burning over summer, so I immediately moved some out and shaded the window with paper. Now, I'm confused as to whether they're still getting too much light or not enough.

Some of the larger leaves are turning light greenish yellow (too much light?) but most new leaves are long and thin (too little light?). Most of them also have a reddish tint (too much light?) and are a dark green (too little light?)

They seem to be giving signs of both too much and too little light. Since I'm in a condo complex, they get shaded direct light for about 2-3 hours in the morning. What do you think?

Hmm... they burned in an east facing window?
That's a lot of light for east facing lol. I'm jealous.

To me it sounds like most of them are getting enough light.

But a picture would help.

My amabilis in my kitchen gets near its maximum threshhold of light, and it's leaves are a beautiful deep dark emerald green. My purple Martin phal gets the same light and it's leaves are a very light, almost yellow green.
My ones upstairs get what I would consider the upper end of phal light. Some reacted by growing long thin turgid leaves. Very different from their old round giant floppy leaves. Others developed a very purple tint. A couple developed lovely mottling.

I think my point is. Phal leaves can turn out very different from one another in optimum light.

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Thanks for the input. They're definitely getting too much. I managed to borrow a light meter from my friend this morning and at some areas it's 4,500 fc! It's no wonder they were burning! Considering it's a bay window, they're probably getting most of the light from the south side of the window...

I may try to apply the vinyl shading as I'm not sure how else to shade a bay window. I can move them, but I'm not sure if there's any better spot in my house and this is the perfect place for them, being right next to the sink.

Not knowing your decorating style, but sometimes a light sheer curtain is enough to decrease the intensity of the light, but still be enough for your phals and not look awful in your window.. just an option :)

Unfortunately, a sheer curtain wouldn't really work well in a bay window (unless there's a way to make it work?). For the record, I got a roll of Gila smoke window film at HD this morning and based on a quick meter check, looks like it works perfectly!

Prepared to have patience applying it though. I have prior window tinting experience and still took me a good 3 hours or so, and still got dirt trapped underneath.

I have been thinking window film. Sounds like a perfect fix!

I have all of mine in North windows and they seem to get enough light. They bloomed most of the summer and are now spiking again, some with 2 spikes. Considering our dull winters, it seems that it doesn't take a lot of light to keep phals happy.

I'll try to let you know how well it works when I'm home again this weekend. But just holding up a square of the tint dropped the sunlight from 4,500 fc to about 1,000.

But if you want the window to look good w/o trapped dirt and nice, gap-free edges, have a professional do it. Mine is a second story inward facing window so I don't mind.

Or better yet, put the phal's under lights and get some catt's that like more light and put them in the window.

Hee, hee, hee evil laugh.

Or vandas! They love a south window!