Which Window?

[shaz]

Hi Guys,

I would appriciate some opinions here.

I live in a small flat with limited space. In the summer it is bright and airy but in the winter I have limited light.

My choices for windows are - north facing dark but warm - or south facing bright but cooler (espectially at night).

My older/bigger plants seem to cope wherever I put them but I have some catt and phal seedlings and don't know the best place for them - I assume they won't like the colder nights but how much light do they need?

Thanks in advance

[kmarch]

What are the temps in your areas? Can you be more specific than "warm" and "cooler"?

[Celcat]

Hello Shaz,

I live only few miles away from you, so we should have almost identical conditions. Me too, I live in a small flat. I have many of my orchids on my south windowsil. I mainly keep there my catt (since this year), some oncidiums and most of my phals. And they do well. I dont have a north windowsil, but if I had one I would leave my zygo there.
At night, in my flat, the temperature drops between 16 and 17 Celsius degree. As long the temperature do not drop under 15 Celsius degrees, your phal will do fine. Zygo can tolerate lower temperature. Some oncidiums can tolerate lower temperature too, but they like light more than phals. Burregerea Nelly Isler is one of the orchid who likes a fresher temperatures.
In any case, colder temperature, less watering

[shaz]

hm, apart from telling you that the radiator is set to 4 in the lounge I couldn't tell you the temperature...I need a thermometer clearly...

thanks Celcat, glad to know the colder nights won't kill them off...I guess when it gets really cold they will have to go to the warmer room for a month or 2.

[kmarch]

It will be difficult to make recommendations without knowing your temps.

[Celcat]

I bought a cheap thermometer indicating the humidity level too at Dyas and works fine for me
My flat is at an average (from october) around 18 celsius degree during day time. I put the heating (only since 2 days) 2 hours on the morning and 3 hours on the evening, when the heating is on the temperature raise to 20 degrees.

[maiseymoo]

I have a similar situation, my flat is either really warm or really cold no nice in between! I live in Cheshire and keep my phal on an east facing window and it loves it! I move it in the winter due to the windows being very draughty (listed building so has wooden frames) and put it in the bathroom. Seems to like the change of scene. It has never flowered in the bathroom though, has spiked but only seems to flower in the living room??