Bay window set up - Orchid Board

Rid · #1 10-20-2019, 05:15 PM

I just brought my collection in for the winter. It’s my first year in the hobby, and my wife was unaware and unhappy that my plants were coming inside. The bench turned out pretty good, that helped.

Dollythehun · #2 10-20-2019, 07:31 PM

That looks very nice! Let her pick some plants for herself. It helps soften the blow.

Diane56Victor · #3 10-21-2019, 12:30 AM

The bench looks lovely inside. Im sure if, as Dollythehun suggests, you take your wife orchid shopping either at a nursery or online and she picks some beauties for herself that vested interest might pay dividends......maybe 2 benches indoors next year?

Ray · #4 10-21-2019, 09:19 AM

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it looks like you have them arranged by size. Did you think about light requirements? The plants that are closer to the window will get more light than those in front.

Mountaineer370 · #5 10-21-2019, 09:50 AM

That is a beautiful set-up. I love your window and the wooden benches. Like Ray, though, I'm wondering if the plants farthest away from the window will get enough light. Are you using any supplemental lighting? My orchids sit in a large south-facing window, all at the same height, and I thought that kind of light would be plenty, but I was having trouble getting them to bloom. I added two decorative type full spectrum lights on either side, and it made all the difference in the world.

Hopefully, the orchids will "grow" on your wife.

Rid · #6 10-21-2019, 10:36 AM

The window faces directly south, so I was actually concerned about there being too much light.

I was thinking that Maxillaria and Dendrobium would like it on the lowest level away from the window, cattleyas on the middle shelf, and Cymbidium, thrixspermum Holcoglossum, ondicium on the level closest to the window.

Sounds like I just need to turn the thing around 180 degrees - that would be more realistic than adding lights in our dining room, although I really appreciate all of the advice from everyone here.

DeaC · #7 10-21-2019, 12:04 PM

Happy plants...Happy wife...Happy life! Very attractive to see but I agree with others that supplemental light may be required for for the ones needing more of it. Then again,some varieties will be fine as is. Have fun.

Rid · #8 10-22-2019, 01:21 PM

Paphiopedalum would do well on the bottom level, i guess?

Mountaineer370 · #9 10-22-2019, 03:42 PM

I can't really tell from the photo how close to the window that rack is, or whether it would be possible to move it even closer. This is just a thought, but would it be possible to turn it around? It seems like all three levels would get better light exposure that way. (But you also will want to consider how thermal-efficient that window is and whether it is cold near it, or whether it lets in direct sunlight, which some plants would have to be protected against.)

The other thing I wanted to mention -- and I get that maybe your wife would not be keen on having supplemental plant lighting in that location. I wasn't happy about the idea either, but I ended up with some very attractive lights that have made all the difference in the happiness of my plants.

https://smile.amazon.com/Verilux-Her...768572&sr=8-11

I got two of these and set one up on either end of my long table, and a third one for the plants in my bedroom window, all on timers. I used to have a hard time getting blooms. Now everything blooms. Yes, these lamps are a bit pricey, and there are more budget-friendly options, if you don't mind the look of plastic:

https://smile.amazon.com/Balanced-Sp...768748&sr=8-10

I mention this because not all of us are in the position to be able to -- or want to -- hang the traditional strips of plant lights from the ceiling. One nice thing about this style is they are totally portable and could be used for other things like a reading lamp. Now, I imagine this would not be a practical solution for many people's large collections, but for those of us with a small number of orchids looking for something easy and aesthetically pleasing, it's something to consider.

I don't know. Paphs are supposed to need even less light than Phals, but I finally rehomed all of my Paphs because they just wouldn't ever bloom for me. I now have only Phals (gave up on Catts and Oncidiums a long time ago). But my Phals are really going to town since I got the floor lamps

Rid · #10 10-22-2019, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mountaineer370

I can't really tell from the photo how close to the window that rack is, or whether it would be possible to move it even closer. This is just a thought, but would it be possible to turn it around? It seems like all three levels would get better light exposure that way. (But you also will want to consider how thermal-efficient that window is and whether it is cold near it, or whether it lets in direct sunlight, which some plants would have to be protected against.)

The other thing I wanted to mention -- and I get that maybe your wife would not be keen on having supplemental plant lighting in that location. I wasn't happy about the idea either, but I ended up with some very attractive lights that have made all the difference in the happiness of my plants.

https://smile.amazon.com/Verilux-Her...768572&sr=8-11

I got two of these and set one up on either end of my long table, and a third one for the plants in my bedroom window, all on timers. I used to have a hard time getting blooms. Now everything blooms. Yes, these lamps are a bit pricey, and there are more budget-friendly options, if you don't mind the look of plastic:

https://smile.amazon.com/Balanced-Sp...768748&sr=8-10

I mention this because not all of us are in the position to be able to -- or want to -- hang the traditional strips of plant lights from the ceiling. One nice thing about this style is they are totally portable and could be used for other things like a reading lamp. Now, I imagine this would not be a practical solution for many people's large collections, but for those of us with a small number of orchids looking for something easy and aesthetically pleasing, it's something to consider.

I don't know. Paphs are supposed to need even less light than Phals, but I finally rehomed all of my Paphs because they just wouldn't ever bloom for me. I now have only Phals (gave up on Catts and Oncidiums a long time ago). But my Phals are really going to town since I got the floor lamps

thanks for the info, i appreciate it. Those are attractive lights and might be what I need. I'm going to give it some time to see how the plants respond to moving in from the outside. I've moved everything up to the top two levels of the stand for now. My Cymbidium and Nobile dendrobium have gone to a west window in the unfinished basement to chill out for a little while.

Ridley