Advice on which orchids grow best in which window?

[judith_arquette]

Hello fellow orchidboarders

We are in the process of buying a house and I will have several different options as far as windows facing different directions. At the present time I have all my orchids in an East facing picture window that also has a small south facing window cornering it. My orchids are all doing much better than they were at our last place which basically got no real sun due to the fact that the houses were in arms length of each other. I'm a little apprehensive about moving because they're all doing so well... The new house has North, East, and South facing window options. Does anyone know of a reference guide for which alliance does best in which facing window? If not, I can list which orchids I have... Any and all imput GREATLY appreciated <3

[Cntry]

Congrats on getting a new house. Hope your move is a pleasant one. List your orchids so others get the idea which places are best for what orchids they also have and what windows they would do best in. This would be great to know for newbies just starting out in growing orchids. Again Judith best of luck in your new place.

[NYCorchidman]

I'm happy for you that your new place has options to choose from.
Except for the lowest light plant such as say, Jewel Orchids, north window is pretty much useless.
Sure, certain phals and paphs will grow and flower, but they will do much better with more light.

Pretty much any orchids will grow and flower well in East/south exposure. Even west, but the problem with the west is the heat buildup in the late afternoon, especially the summer. With AC, it may not be a problem.

South facing window might need some light shading with sheer curtain even with strong light orchids.

What do you have?

I have south window with and without sheer curtain. I now have mostly paphiopedilum of different types with a bunch of different genera, and these are all behind either sheer curtain or in the shade of taller plants.

Then I have neofinetia and hybrids, small growing vandas, tolumnias, dendrobium ( the one with long spray of flower spikes), aerangis, phalaenopsis, cymbidium sinense all behind the sheer curtain.

Let's see, the ones without any shading: I have cattleyas, brassavola nodosa and hybrids, dendrobium nobile hybrids, Dendrobium Nestor, Den. spectabile, Den.Formidable, Den. sanderae, cynoches hybrids...
All are doing great except cattleyas, which are turning slightly yellowish. still grows and flowers, but I don't like yellowish leaves, so I will move them behind curtain.

So, I say put your favorite ones in the best windows, east and south with light shading like sheer curtain.
Pretty much any orchids will do great in this setting.

Then, place not so important ones in the west window with or without protection depending on the orchid types.

I really don't recommend north facing window. Put some foliage plant or decoration piece of your choice.

hope this helps.

Enjoy your new house and happy growing!!!

[estación seca]

You'll have to learn how the sun moves across the windows, and whether any trees shade you during parts of the day. Even a west or south window with direct sun can be hospitable if you put a sheer curtain between the sun and the plants. And plants can sometimes burn in a north window - the sun rises and sets a lot farther north during the summer, and a north window may not be sun-free. I burned a Paph. Onyx in late October when I moved it to a spot where it got only 20 minutes of direct early morning sun through a southeast window, even though it was sitting behind a taller plant. Fortunately, it wasn't too bad and the plant is still alive.

The temperature in your room will likely never be high enough to burn high-light plants, but the sun can heat the leaves past the burning point. A steady breeze from a fan can carry off the heat and keep the leaves closer to room temperature. This allows you to give more light and not burn the leaves.

Vandas are regarded as high-light plants, so think about those.

[WhiteRabbit]

Unlike some other people, I grow and bloom some orchids in a north facing window ... Phals, I had an Odontoglossum hybrid that bloomed very well there, Masdies, Haraella, Aerangis citrata (African violets have also done well for me in that window)

[NYCorchidman]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

Unlike some other people, I grow and bloom some orchids in a north facing window ... Phals, I had an Odontoglossum hybrid that bloomed very well there, Masdies, Haraella, Aerangis citrata (African violets have also done well for me in that window)

Are you sure it was true north instead of north east??

[rbarata]

Mine is a true north window and I grow there sucessfully a den nobile hybrid, a phap leeanum and a cambria. All my cymbs, although in the balcony outside, are growing there too.
I guess it all depends on the window size, climate and latitude.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

Are you sure it was true north instead of north east??

Yes - the sun comes up directly in front of my house, and this particular window is in the wall at a right angle to the left from the front. I've also double checked with a compass.

[NYCorchidman]

I see. Hmmm

[gngrhill]

I have a friend who only has a North window and she blooms Phals, Oncids, and has a Catt in bloom now. I have North, West and South. I do have a few oncids and Paphs in the North window, and also have Oncids in the South window, and they have no shading, about 1-2 feet from the window. I never had much luck with any in my West window, but I blame the large tree in the front yard that shades it in the summer.