Light Color in Greenhouse Growing
 

I’m an indoor grower who finally has the opportunity to summer plants outdoors. Here in the northeast US, there can be drought conditions in the summer and/or almost semi-tropical rainy-season conditions for weeks, so I'm anticipating shelter for orchids. Considering an inexpensive hobby greenhouse. Not heated or climate controlled in any way. There is a large patio on the side of my house that would fit a hobby greenhouse perfectly. Oriented so that the ridge of the roof would run southeast to northwest. Filtered sunlight through trees in the first half of the day and the house blocks the sun completely the second half. Not great. On the other hand, I took a footcandle reading out there late on a cloudy afternoon last week, and I'm still getting 4,000FC or more of indirect light. However, it occurred to me that the color temperature of the light might be completely different in a greenhouse that receives direct sun which is filtered, and a greenhouse that is shady in the first place. Thoughts on this, please? Thanks so much. -John

Don't worry about it.

Being that the light is coming from the sun, your plants are still getting the entire photosynthetic spectrum.

When you say inexpensive hobby greenhouse, what do you mean?

I ask because even with a somewhat shadier spot a small greenhouse can get really hot in the summer. Potentially to the point of cooking the orchids unless it's very well ventilated and/or cooled in some manner.

Thanks, Ray. Thanks Katrina. A great reminder. I'll keep it in mind. Maybe I'll be "forced" to finance a grown-up greenhouse after all.