atcrosby
The extra work I refered to is indeed the effort to maintain proper light levels.
You will not have to wait 5-7 years in that a cattleya 3-4 inches high is already 3-4 years old. Also many of the newer hybrids bloom smaller and younger than wild species orchids.
Cattleyas take 3500 foot candles of light, Colmanara and oncidiums 2500 and Phalaenopsis 1500, which is normal room light a few feet from a window. Now these are the light levels for initiating blooms. Young plants can grow well in lower light levels.
Since you purchased a light meter you can use it to find appropriate places for each type of orchid. It will minimize the trial and error approach.
For those who do not have a meter you can use a camera
Measuring light levels with an SLR camera
Your orchids sound in good shape. Big stores have a tendency to neglect plants and destroy them. Failure to water young plants retards their growth. Since you see new growth your plants are doing fine.