what about a garden window...faceing north?

16 years ago

Ive been thinking about putting a garden window in over my kitchen sink..it faces north though.I have a client who has a garden window that faces east and all her orchids are shriveled and pale and look like they are at deaths door..So I was afraid her's got baked..would north be safer then?this is my window.no trees shadeing it..My orchids seem happy under the light but if I had a garden window I could have MORE!

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Comments (4)

mehitabel
16 years ago
Hi, marigene. I doubt very much your neighbors ugly-leaf and scorched orchids can be attributed to the east exposure. I have phals both in south and west windows and they do fine without scorching. East is what all the culture sheets say is the very best exposure for orchids.

I can't tell you how the ugliness happened-- maybe they went into the east window without acclimating from darkness-- but an east window shouldn't have that kind of effect.

About your north window. I have north windows up the kazoo, including a two-story bay. Several others are quite large, but none are any good for growing, especially in winter, when the sun passes low to the south. I wouldn't put any plant I cared about in that kind of light.

You might be able to use your north exposure with supplemental lighting, and if that's the only place for putting orchids, then go ahead and try. But put some really bright lights in there and leave them on at least 16 hours day.

For what a graden window would cost, you could put up a very good lighting system that orchids would thrive in.
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kmmanship
16 years ago
I had a garden window put in last year. It's the only place that has enough sunlight to grow ANYTHING in my house. It does fine EXCEPT in the summertime, when I have to move my orchids out of the window because it gets too much sun. So, 9 months out of the year, it's perfect. It's just a juggling act the three summer months....but that allows me to have my plants, so it's worth it.
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Guest, I'm sure you can appreciate the countless manner which light can be mastered to fit any situation. Light from any exposure can be questioned by how it is received by the plant. i.e. a tree, that has open canopy, allows more light than a tree with a compact growth of leaves. Yet, such light can be received from the best source. I've never heard much difference given "partial sun" as opposed to "partial shade"....they are one and the same thing. "Partial" leaves the question up in the air about how partial is meant by the term. A rosebush is recommended to be given "full" sun....and that be 8 hours. The best sun for roses comes from the south or western exposures. The plant may though do just as well given 6 hours...if the light is strong. The "eastern" exposure is referred to as the "cool" sun...the "morning" sun....and plants that do well in "full" often do "almost" as well in east facing sunlight...with the consideration that barriers to its fullness can directly work its effectiveness. In general, a northern exposure is not a reliable sun..yet some plants, not needing such strong light, can do somewhat well. Most plants that are situated in a northern light do not flower as well, nor do they put out such strong growth as well. You can always put something in between a source of light and where you wish it to reach. Trees and other plants, overhangs of buildings, fences or gazebos, tables or chairs, anything and everything that might influence how much light is given an area, can decide on what exposure a plant should be given. Put a rose bush behind a compact canopy of tree, in a western exposure, and the plant may well not flower.
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seattlemarigene
Original Author
16 years ago
Hhhmmm then maybe I will stick to the plant stand and lights I have.I have never put any orchids outside but after reading so many of the posts I will probably try it next spring.I groom & water my clients orchid everytime I clean her house.Not sure what to do to perk them up..thanks for the help..:0)
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orchid126
16 years ago
Check the orchid's roots. Slip the pot off. If the roots are shrivelled and dry, then the plant is underwatered. The more light a plant gets, the more water it needs. If the roots are mushy, then the plant has been overwatered.
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what about a garden window...faceing north?

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mehitabel

kmmanship

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what about a garden window...faceing north?

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mehitabel

kmmanship

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orchid126

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