So I have decided after being given several orchids as gifts that I really want to take it to the next step and provide for them a little better.
I have a 4 tier wire shelf facing an East window. However, the windows, because I live in the desert, are tinted to help with energy costs during the summer. I always thought there was a ton of light in this room. I now have a light meter and was surprised.
At 8 am, direct outside light = 8000 fc. The light through the tinted window = 3000 fc.
By 9 am the top tier was out of direct light and now down to 300 fc. The next tier down was up to 3400 fc at the same time.
And at about 10 am the top two tiers are at 300 fc and the bottom two are at about 3500 fc.
This is the desert, so it is also very dry. I have used humidity trays that keep the humidity between 40 - 60%. The 40% is when ever the air kicks on, 60% after it goes off. Not much I can do about stopping this in this house without blocking off half the room with plastic (fiance will definately not go for this).
I have a mix of orchids, again that were mostly gifts bought by my fiance from Trader Joe's. I have one Phal (with 2 wrinkled leaves
, the roots are not rotted, I am just having trouble giving it enough water), and a couple of intergeneric oncidium hybrids, and a couple of cattleya rescues ( were out of flower and out of pot at store).
My goal is to use the shelves for different types, since they each have different levels of light. Any thoughts would be great. I have all of them in a fine fir bark ( hard to find much else here) and I have spag available to use or mix if you think it will help.
Let me know if you have any ideas or tips. Thanks
Jay