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#1
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Very New Need Help
Learning about orchids has been on my life to do list for a while and
it's time to start. I have a problem though. I don't have any sunny windows in my apartment. No East or West windows at all. What are my options? Thanks to anyone willing to help me scratch this off my list. Ryan |
#2
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Very New Need Help
On Jun 11, 12:45 pm, Ryan G wrote:
What are my options? i've got a luidisa discolor doing a weed impersonation on a north windowsill. but first things first: where are you located? --j_a |
#3
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Very New Need Help
"Ryan G" wrote in message ups.com... Learning about orchids has been on my life to do list for a while and it's time to start. I have a problem though. I don't have any sunny windows in my apartment. No East or West windows at all. What are my options? Thanks to anyone willing to help me scratch this off my list. Ryan You can move into a sunny apartment or grow them under grow-lights. |
#4
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A north window with some help from artificial lighting or a south window with heavy net curtains is fine.
Alternatively, anywhere, if you use total artificial lights. Weng |
#5
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Very New Need Help
Learning about orchids has been on my life to do list for a while and it's time to start. I have a problem though. I don't have any sunny windows in my apartment. No East or West windows at all. What are my options? Thanks to anyone willing to help me scratch this off my list. Ryan Ryan, Nice choice to pick for a to do list - growing orchids. Can you give the group some more info? The windows you do have - North or South? Do you have the ability to build or buy a shelving unit? You can grow a great many orchids under lights. Are there any particular kinds of orchids you're thinking of? Large or small plants? Are your windowsills wide enough to fit some plants directly on them? Do you have any other types of plants you grow? If so, what are they? What temperature do you keep the apartment in the winter? Orchids are grouped by temperature - warm (60F minimum nights), intermediate (55F min. nights), and cool (50F min nights). The majority of cool growers don't like daytime summer highs above 75F. These are guidelines, not laws! There are somewhere between 25,000 to 30,000 species, growing everywhere except (I think) true desert and Antartica - perhaps also the Arctic. Rest assured there are still a lot of them that will do just fine in your apartment. I grow mine on an Eastern windowsill and a shelf in front of it with some artificial lighting. I have about 50 orchids and a few Tillandsia (bromeliad family). Some do great, some do Ok, and a couple died. Some that I didn't think would do well are and some I thought would do great didn't. That's part of the challenge and what make orchids interesting for me. Getting them to flower means I'm doing something right. If the flowers are pretty too, well it's icing on the cake! I feel like that about cacti, too. Sorry about all the questions, but to give the best advice requires detailed information. There are many expert growers on this list - I'm a hobbyist. Now if you just want to forgo all that and just try your hand at them, I would suggest Phalaenopsis to start. They are readily available and can do well in bright light without direct sun. Ludisia, a Jewel orchid, is another. My experience with Paphiopedilums is limited, but I am doing well with a Maudiae type. And their leaves are nicely mottled with light and dark green and silver. They seem to need a tad more light than the Phals. Good luck ... let us know how it's going. Bob Campoli |
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