anyone growing orchids under shade cloth?

[GURUSHAKTI]

A neighbor told me that my arbor would be perfect for my orchids, if I put 50%
shade cloth over it. I got some 60-70% shadecloth because it was all that the
local hardware store had. I'd like to know if that will allow enough light
through for the orchids before I permanently staple this stuff to the arbor.

Regards,
June

[Al]

Where are you? Your latitude relative to the equator figures into the
answer.
What type of orchids do you grow? 60 to 70% is probably alright for Phals
and some Paphs/Phrags, it may be a bit too dim for Cattleya, Dendrobiums or
Vanda and other orchids. Of course, this assumes they will be completed
shaded by it all day.

"GURUSHAKTI" <gurus...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20020410191854...@mb-ff.aol.com...

[GURUSHAKTI]

I'm in Central Florida and I have all the orchids you mentioned.
Regards,
June

[Elpaninaro]

>I'm in Central Florida and I have all the orchids you mentioned.
>Regards,
>June

Hi June,

It varies depending on the shade tree factor and daily exposure, but here is
what I did when I had my outdoor greenhouse here in Houston.

It was set up in an area where it got free full sun for most of the day. I had
65% shadecloth on all sides and 65% shadecloth plus a sheet of corrugated
fiberglass over the top.

This proved to be good light for Cattleyas and my many Oncidium and Encyclia
species from Mexico. Also good for the Phals, if a touch on the bright side.

The Paphs had a tough time of it and I had to strategically hide them among
larger plants.

Vandas loved it hanging from the roof.

So maybe it was all the sun exposure, I do not know, but contrary to what I had
expected- 65% shadecloth proved to be far more light than I thought and enough
to handle just about anything.

But since you are putting this alongside your home, I am guessing you will have
more shading in general depending on the exposures that will be blocked by your
home. If the house will block morning or afternoon sun (ie run along the east
or west side of the whole setup) that will have a large impact and that might
mean 50% cloth would be better..

Hope this helps!

Tom.

[GURUSHAKTI]

I'm putting the shade cloth on a quite large arbor which is on the west side of
my studio. It won't get early morning sun, but will have sun from about noon on
I think.
I didn't think about putting shade cloth on the sides, just on the top. I
wasn't going to cover the arbor with anything to keep rain out though since I
have some roses and a grapevine sharing this large arbor on the far side.
My neighbor hangs all his orchids from trees on the south and west side of his
house. They get strong dappled light and all do well. The only time he takes
them inside is during the one or two frost scares we get in the winter.

Thanks!
June

[dkar]

Newbie here...
Assuming 60% shade-cloth lets in 60% of the sunlight, and the sun is roughly
10,000 foot-candles on a clear day, then that would let in 4000
foot-candles....right?

I ask this because my Ortho book recommends 1000-1500 for Phals, and I think
3000+ for Catts,...so I would think 60% would be way too bright in both
cases (assuming all-day, full exposure to the sun).

I hope to do the same thing soon (move 'em outside), so I'm anxious to hear
what everyone else has to say.
I'm terrified, actually. I would think one missed watering and its all
over...

Thanks.
dkar

"Al" <A...@orchidexchange.com> wrote in message
news:NT3t8.16877$Rw2.1...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

[Al]

Summertime in Virginia I have Phals under 75% shade and cattleya under 55%
shade and they do well. I use an aluminum shade cloth because it does not
absorb heat (like the black plastic cloth) and the plants under it stay
cooler. In the winter between November and February, I keep the Phals under
55% shade and the cattleya in full sun.

Air moving over the leaves will help keep them cool and allow a brighter
situation in many cases. You can also use higher light plants to shade
lower light plants and create a situation under your shade cloth where you
have many different light levels/growing areas.

Any new environment will take some experimentation, so watch your plants
closely until you are sure they will not burn. I use the touch-test myself.
If the leaves do not feel warm to my hand they probably are not getting so
much light/heat that they will be harmed.

"dkar" <dk...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:QYjt8.14151$Vv5.3...@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...

[GURUSHAKTI]

Thanks for your input and the hint about feeling the leaves for heat. I'm new
at Orchid growing so a tip like that is very helpful!
My 60-70% shade cloth is a beige color and my arbor is quite high, and I've
bought a roll of chain links so I can hang the orchids at any length away from
the top of the arbor I want.
I bought Stainless Steel staples to attach the shade cloth. Is this the best
choice and if so, how far apart should I put the staples. It can get quite
windy at time, here on the Intracoastal.
Regards,
June

[Susan Erickson]

Now you know why I like to grow orchids.... They forgive the missed
water and figure the drought came a little off schedule. Seriously.
The ones we cultivate in general mostly come from areas of drenching
rains and long dry spells. Some are very demanding and insist on that
dry down. Others will live with you as long as you don't make them
stand in water.
We started under lights - I imagined most here can say that. - We were
in Chicago just north of O'Hare. Every summer we hauled everything out
and put wire hangers on the clay pots. Everything was then hung on the
redwood privacy fence around the patio, or from one of the 2 shade
trees by the patio. Close to 600 plants and they could fit in the
shade pattern. We had a mist hose set up to spray the area, it cooled
the patio and the plants.
A friend had 2 small gh. They were very full all winter when things
looked like the Orchid room we have been viewing on ABPO. Some of his
pots required a hand truck to move out under his cherry tree. (This
can be a problem if the birds drop pitts in your pots.) He used the
wired lath that is snow fence in the MW to make a arbor and side walls
around his collection area. For most of the area the tree and the lath
provided enough shade. Part of it also had a shade cloth cover.

Oh. 60% shade cloth is 60% shade not 60% sun.

SuE

[Elpaninaro]

>I hope to do the same thing soon (move 'em outside), so I'm anxious to hear
>what everyone else has to say.
>I'm terrified, actually. I would think one missed watering and its all
>over...

I do not know the science of how foot candles are derived and calculated. So
cannot help you there.

But yes, not to scare you, watering is very important if you are in a hot area.
When I was growing outside in the Houston summers, I had no fans or AC in
there- just open sides with shadecloth only to allow breezes to come through.

And I had to water almost everything every 1-2 days. Missing one watering will
not kill everything, but the hotter and more unwieldy your condition, the
closer you need to watch the watering.

Tom.

[Elpaninaro]

>It won't get early morning sun, but will have sun from about noon on
>I think.
>I didn't think about putting shade cloth on the sides, just on the top.

Hi again June,

I would highly encourage you put it on the sides as well. The hot afternoon sun
can do its damage if unchecked. Even if for just a 10-15 minute window each
day, a burst of full afternoon or evening sun can cause sun damage.

Otherwise your plan sounds good to me! Please post pics if you can and keep
everyone updated.

We all have unique growing conditions, but it is always great to hear how
everyone else is doing since there is a lesson for everyone in every place
where orchids are grown.

Good luck with it!

Tom.

[Wendy]

Hi Al, I would like to know where you get your aluminum shade cloth? Cheers
Wendy

"Al" <A...@orchidexchange.com> wrote in message

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[Wendy]

Yes Sue, that's what I was lead to believe, 60% shade cloth lets in 40% of
sunlight.
Cheers Wendy
"Susan Erickson" <eric...@qwest.net> wrote in message
news:9r7cbusee52lq4uct...@4ax.com...

[Al]

The product is called Aluminet Thermal Screen. (Use "Aluminet" or "Aluminet
Thermal" in your search engine.) It is more expense by far than plastic, and
you can find white or light tan plastic shade cloth that does not absorb all
the heat that the black colored does.. Any commercial greenhouse supply
company can locate it's manufacturer and get it drop shipped to you. The
company that I bought it from (who dropped shipped to me) was E.C. Geiger.

"Wendy" <wen...@cox.net> wrote in message
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[Wendy]

Ta, ever so,

Cheers Wendy
"Al" <A...@orchidexchange.com> wrote in message

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[Pat Brennan]

Just another VA data point. Greenhouses here lie east west having full,
unblocked southern exposure. I try to keep Phals light levels under 1800
foot candles, ideally in the 1200 - 1600 foot candle range. Right now the
sun is well over 10,000 foot candles and I am running at least 85% shade.
In the winter, I find the sun to be about 8000 foot candles and run in the
range of 80% shade. I use some black cloth and aluminum shade cloth, but
most of my shading is done by spraying the greenhouses with koolray shade
paint. I have learned to rely on leaf color and greenhouse feel for light
levels as much as a light meter. I am on my fifth light meter (in 15 years
or so) and have found they go out of calibration slowly and can be off by 30
or 40 percent before you know there is a problem. It costs about as much to
have a meter recalibrated as just buying a new one. I grew tired of
replacing the GE meters and am using a digital one now. Still too new to
tell how it will hold up to greenhouse conditions.

sore after painting four greenhouse yesterday,

Pat Brennan

sore from putting shade compound

"Al" <A...@orchidexchange.com> wrote in message

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