Orchids? Anybody?

[BigBlueHen53]

That sounds... not quite right. If you do an online image search for something like "Phalaenopsis healthy roots", do yours look like that?

I will search tomorrow, thank you. There is SO MUCH on line, and a lot of it is contradictory, sigh. Or there are videos but you can't really see what the person is doing.

I think there's apps you can download that will let you use your phone as a light meter, so you can work out how much light plants will be getting in different locations. I don't know how accurate they are though.

Okay thanks.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I really appreciate the feedback, folks!

 

[microchick]

Okay, I'm sold. As soon as the temps come up so I can safely transport one from the store to home, I'll look for a Moth Orchid.

 

[microchick]

Okay, I have a couple of questions. I have one good east window but it's near a door so I doubt if it would like drafts, especially in winter. I read indirect light. How far back from a southern window exposure would it have to sit to be considered in 'indirect' light?

I have a spot that is about 3 feet away from a southern window and I also have a spot that is between windows on the south wall that might work also. No direct sunlight but bright indirect. Would that work?

Also, I have grow lights that could be employed. Anybody grow orchids with grow lights?

 

[Rambling Iris]

When we lived in central Florida I grew orchids on our south east facing porch with good success. My daughter worked at a local green house that specialized in orchids and was a member of the American Orchid Society. https://www.aos.org/ this is there website. We traveled all over Florida to orchid/flower shows to photograph the plants for the venders. There are some amazing flowers some harder to grow than others. Phalaenopsis or moth orchids are some of the easiest to start out with.
MC any of the locations you mention except by the door are probably fine.
True story: I put an orchid in a wooden slated planter under a shrub to get it out of the way while I was unloading groceries from the car. It started raining and I did not go out to get the plant. Forgot it was there because it was hidden by some of the shrub branches. It stayed under that shrub for 6 months! The only reason I found it was because it put up a bloom spike that came through the shrubbery. This was in central Florida during the summer so it was hot and humid but the plant was mostly in the shade with good air circulation.
I don't have any orchids now. I gave them to friends and family when we moved.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

have grow lights that could be employed. Anybody grow orchids with grow lights

I use a grow light. I don't have any good spots by windows.