East Window versus West Window

[Mountaineer370]

I suspect it wouldn't make any difference in my house. A few years ago, we had all new well-insulated double-pane windows put in. We also have quite a few trees on both the east and west sides of our house. One of us is almost always home all day, so the AC stays on in the summer and the heat in the winter. The indoor temps don't vary much at all.

I think each of us has to look at the layout and construction of our own home, our own lifestyle, any outdoor landscaping or structures, etc., and make our own best judgment call as to where the orchids will be happiest. I only wish I had some available space by the windows on the east or west where I could try it out!

[orchidsarefun]

Some of the best plants - size, health and blooms - I've ever seen are grown in an indoor space that is equidistant from south, east and west facing windows. Basically very bright light and some dappled sun.
I've only ever been able to replicate that when my plants are outdoors. It's an ideal.

[Mountaineer370]

Orchidsarefun, that brings up something else I've been thinking about lately. For most of us, growing our orchids indoors, near a window, means that most of the light is going to come from one or maybe two sides. When I think about that, it seems quite unnatural, and I can understand why the plants are not always at their best. I guess that's why many of us routinely turn our plants, to allow all sides to get the same amount of light over time.

I read somewhere recently -- I can't remember where -- that side light is not as good for our plants as top light. Some of us solve that problem by using supplemental overhead lighting. But if we're not in a position to be able to do that, are we just doomed to have unhappy plants?

Hmm, I think that's going to be the topic of another new thread soon.

[Leafmite]

I grow some higher light orchids in a West window. My Cattleya aclandiae is very happy as are all my walkeriana hybrids and the Angraecum magdalenae. Basically, what grows well in a South window without any curtains will usually grow well in a West window, too.

The problem with any plant is heat + light - breeze. If you open your windows in the summer, the plants should be fine. That is what I do.

[Optimist]

Water is a heat sink unless it is agitated. I have a little solar powered pump that keeps the water in an outdoors fish tank moving. You will notice that outside fountains have cool water, not hot water even when in the full sun. Anyway...

I like east windows. Phrags for instance, always seem to grow on east facing slopes in Equador. They also prefer to be near running water (for cooling?) and in the full sun. But I would wager that if the water was still and "hot" there would be no cooling factor. (obviously, wind or breeze is also cooling so that their leaves can take greater amounts of sun). I've seen mention of cattleyas growing in eastern slopes in Colombia, but have not researched this topic for Brazilian Catts. I agree to opening your windows. For those who fear neighborhood crime, fans are okay too.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by Optimist

Water is a heat sink unless it is agitated. I have a little solar powered pump that keeps the water in an outdoors fish tank moving. You will notice that outside fountains have cool water, not hot water even when in the full sun.

Circulating ponds and fountains evaporate more water than when still, and this cools the remaining water some. Here in metro Phoenix a pond with a fountain is still hot in summer. Swimming pools are built with water return through spray jets, which evaporatively cools some of the water. Still many people don't want to get in a swimming pool here in the summer because they think the water is uncomfortably warm.

A lot of double-glass high-insulation windows have coatings to decrease incoming heat and light. If you can put your hand near the glass on a sunny day, and not feel any heat at all, you have this kind of window. Unfortunately they are terrible for plants. Most new construction in the Southwest has this kind of window.

Yet another reason people think it's their fault when they can't grow house plants. It's similar to Microsoft trying to make users think any Windows problem is due to the user.

[Mountaineer370]

Originally Posted by estación seca

A lot of double-glass high-insulation windows have coatings to decrease incoming heat and light. If you can put your hand near the glass on a sunny day, and not feel any heat at all, you have this kind of window. Unfortunately they are terrible for plants. Most new construction in the Southwest has this kind of window.

Yet another reason people think it's their fault when they can't grow house plants. It's similar to Microsoft trying to make users think any Windows problem is due to the user.

I'm starting to think this may be part of my problem. (new, very efficient windows). My orchids grow nicely, putting out plenty of new roots and foliage, but I have trouble getting anything to bloom.

My African violets, on the other hand, bloom like crazy in a north window. Go figure.

I've been thinking of starting a couple new threads to ask specific questions. Stay tuned......

[malteseproverb]

Cheri, in an earlier post you noted that because someone remains in your house most of the time, your house remains temperature controlled and therefore does not fluctuate throughout the day. This could be a reason some of your plants resist blooming, too. I used to live in an apartment where the thermostat was set to 70 degrees all winter and, in addition to drying my plants out, it made it more difficult to trigger blooming in some of my orchids. It's something to look into. What kind of orchids are you growing?

[Dollythehun]

Just FYI, you can buy windows that are build to block sun as ES says, or to block the cold. I'm not an expert at this but, we are looking for new windows, and this fact came up.

[Mountaineer370]

MP, you are right, we keep our house set at a constant temperature, day and night. It's a few degrees cooler in the winter but still doesn't drop below 70 degrees. I wish I had a separate room where I could keep my orchids and it wouldn't matter if I let the temps drop in that room, but, unfortunately, the only place I can keep them is in my kitchen/dining room, and temps remain the same throughout my small house. I'm often unable to sleep and will be up pacing around at night, and I don't like to be cold when I'm doing that.

You asked what kinds of orchids I have. Right now, I have five phals, three paphs, one catt, and four oncidium hybrids. A couple of my phals are the only ones that have rebloomed under my care. Several of the plants are fairly new for me, so I don't know yet how they will do, but the catt and three of the oncidiums have been with me for between a year and a half to two years and still no sign of blooming.

Dolly, I'll have to hunt up our receipts for the windows and see exactly what we got. My memory is that insulation from outdoor temperature extremes was the prime focus. We weren't looking so much to block light, but I think at least the UV coating is pretty much standard on their better quality ones (which these were).