Shade cloth question

[missann]

I currently have some sheer fabric hanging over my entire deck for sun protection, but I think it has only got to be something like 20 percent shade. When I am out there in the afternoon, the light is still bright enough to be uncomfortable for me, so I know it is probably too bright for my orchids.

I have a vanda, a neostylus, cymbidiums, cattleya, phals, and paphs. and a den. Along with some epindendrums.

I know they are all needing different lights, but if you use shadecloth, please let me know what percent you use, and what orchids you are growing underneath it.

Lowes or Home Depot has 75% shadecloth, but that seemed like it would block too much sun for the ones requiring brighter light. Um..the elevation here is 4,000 something, if that is of any use.

[butt0n]

I think it would be too strong for your phals and paphs, however the only way to really be sure is to get a light meter.

[Brooke]

In the g/h the twinwall blocks 15% of the light plus another 50% is blocked by shade cloth over the g/h. This is more than enough light to grow and bloom high light plants. At times the fc's in this area run 7000.

In my phal area, I have additional 80% shade cloth in the back of the benches up and over the top of the bench area. This is on the west wall. The light in this area runs from 1500 fc's in the morning to 800 fc's from 1 p.m on. When we put up the additional shade cloth in this area I felt like I was growing the phals in the dark. Finally, I am getting the proper leaf size on phals instead of the short chubby leaves from being over lit.

Light meters are not expensive and one of the best pieces of equipment an orchid grower can have in his arsenal. The correct amount of light is more important than the brand of fertilizer you use.

Brooke

[mayres]

As ButtOn noted - sooner or later you will find a light meter invaluable.
I have my shadecloth (55%) set up on the east side of my house. After about 12-1 they get NO more sunshine - inside my enclosure I have catts, oncids, dends, intergenerics, cyms that seem to tolerate this arrangement acceptably - albeit probably not ideal for all. I put my paphs underneath a large fuji cherry tree where they get early morning sun and that is it - so far so good.

[Hummer344]

I have double shade cloth over my more sensitive orchids & my phals & still get to much light. I get strong sun 3/4 of the day right now so, even with double shade cloth they get plenty of strong light and some very early morning direct light. My Cyms get good strong sun in the morning then are shaded by a single layer of shade cloth the rest of the day. I just checked the light with my cheapo meter & it says I am getting 6k foot candles of light over the the double shaded area. I sorta doubt that this cheap thing is that accurate but, to say the least , they still get plenty of light. I would not put your light sensitive phals or other light sensitive plants under one layer of cloth. It would be to much light & they would burn. Thats from expierence. I would put my cyms out there first I see how they did then slowly put others out and see what happens.

Good Luck

[PhalPal]

Missann I am sure you know that the answers you will get are directly related to where someone lives and how much sun they get. I have 80% shade cloth on the south side of my house and grow catts, oncidiums and cymbidiums out there year round. I have a 90% shade for the people out there and on hot, sunny days that isn't enough. This is my first full year of having catts outside, but so far I have no sunburn and one of my Blc's is in bud. (Yeah!!)

I soooo agree with the comments about having a light meter. Before I got one I was just guessing and then waiting a year to see if I guessed right. No blooms, more light??? For $45 it was the best piece of equipment I ever invested in.

[missann]

I have a light meter already...

The thing of it is...is that I can't go around testing the light under, say 50%, 60% etc. shadecloth because no one has it, (ESPECIALLY THE GREENHOUSES) except Home Depot or Lowes (can't remember) who has 75 percent. I guess I can take my crappy light meters out there and sort of make a guess at it.

I am really suprised I have not burned any of my orchids. My cymb got left in the FULL AFTERNOON SUN for 5 hours and it is fine. I have only burned one orchid in my life, and that was a den. I had in Hawaii. My other dens were fine in the same light, but the one burned.

Maybe I just have a knack for light levels...maybe I should stop worrying.

Also, you have to factor in how far away the shade cloth is from your plants. I think I am making this way too complicated and I am worrying too much.