question about effect of window screens on light

[BrucherT]

I am doing a gig in northwest Arkansas for a few months and being put up in a company efficiency apartment. It has one window, facing glancingly southwest. I brought a few “project” slippers but mostly my water-culture Vandas, a Peristeria, some of my more expensive Neofinetia, a Bulbophyllum (hanging from the ceiling sprinkler; yup, I’m tacky), one Cattleya trainaei with something in its sheath for the first time (years of blind sheaths), an 18-month-old pot of Disa uniflora seedlings and a big Rhyncostylis inherited from my beloved Aunt’s greenhouse, potted in a rotting slat basket that’s overrun with sword ferns; I don’t have the heart to repot until it falls apart because I’m sentimental, brought along because it has two nascent spikes and is a struggle to water effectively.

These split windows just don’t seem as bright as mine at home in Chicago and being that it’s the dead of winter I’m debating removing the screens, which are on the inside of the windows. It would be a bit of a pain in the ass so I’m soliciting opinions on whether or not it’s worth it.

Here are some photos, taken at 2:30 or 3:00 PM. Not sure if you can tell but the screens do seem to have a bit of a black tint to them.

Thank you in advance for feedback.

 

[gonewild]

I am doing a gig in northwest Arkansas for a few months and being put up in a company efficiency apartment. It has one window, facing glancingly southwest. I brought a few “project” slippers but mostly my water-culture Vandas, a Peristeria, some of my more expensive Neofinetia, a Bulbophyllum (hanging from the ceiling sprinkler; yup, I’m tacky), one Cattleya trainaei with something in its sheath for the first time (years of blind sheaths), an 18-month-old pot of Disa uniflora seedlings and a big Rhyncostylis inherited from my beloved Aunt’s greenhouse, potted in a rotting slat basket that’s overrun with sword ferns; I don’t have the heart to repot until it falls apart because I’m sentimental, brought along because it has two nascent spikes and is a struggle to water effectively.

These split windows just don’t seem as bright as mine at home in Chicago and being that it’s the dead of winter I’m debating removing the screens, which are on the inside of the windows. It would be a bit of a pain in the ass so I’m soliciting opinions on whether or not it’s worth it.

Here are some photos, taken at 2:30 or 3:00 PM. Not sure if you can tell but the screens do seem to have a bit of a black tint to them.

Thank you in advance for feedback.

Window screens to reduce light. Especially if the sun hits the screen at a steep angle. If you think you need more light take off the screens. You can test using a phone app to see how much l get the actually block.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Test over a 2-3 week period of different weather and see if sun shines on plants for more than 4 hours. If not, you might need some light stands.

 

[big923cattleya]

If you are saying that the light exposure is glancingly southwest, that really screams out to me, NOT ENOUGH light.
The screens are not cutting down the light to where they become an issue. I would guess that they cut the light by 10% at most.
If your trianaei has been producing blind sheaths for years, that has nothing to do with the light at your temporary location.

If your orchids feature leaves on the darker side of green, blooming sporadically, removing those screens won’t make any difference. It is more about your Chicago growing spot. You brought them to Arkansas under performing. Removing screens there won’t solve your problem.
I grow under lights in the Detroit area. I have been doing that for almost 6 years. I use supplemental lights from October to May. It costs me about $25 a month for the power to run 24 light tubes for some 55 square feet of grow space.
Window screens are not my problem. Being this far north, shorter days, lake effect clouds, have a much greater impact then window screens, trust me.

 

[DirGo]

Also consider that in the northern hemisphere during the next two months your DLI could double or triple from more hours of sunshine, higher intensity of sunlight, or even the sun could suddenly reach places on your window sill it does not reach today. Your plants might need time to adapt to the higher light levels. I like the measuring & testing advice mentioned above. My add: be careful with making huge light increases in a short timeframe.

 

[southernbelle]

I am doing a gig in northwest Arkansas for a few months and being put up in a company efficiency apartment. It has one window, facing glancingly southwest. I brought a few “project” slippers but mostly my water-culture Vandas, a Peristeria, some of my more expensive Neofinetia, a Bulbophyllum (hanging from the ceiling sprinkler; yup, I’m tacky), one Cattleya trainaei with something in its sheath for the first time (years of blind sheaths), an 18-month-old pot of Disa uniflora seedlings and a big Rhyncostylis inherited from my beloved Aunt’s greenhouse, potted in a rotting slat basket that’s overrun with sword ferns; I don’t have the heart to repot until it falls apart because I’m sentimental, brought along because it has two nascent spikes and is a struggle to water effectively.

These split windows just don’t seem as bright as mine at home in Chicago and being that it’s the dead of winter I’m debating removing the screens, which are on the inside of the windows. It would be a bit of a pain in the ass so I’m soliciting opinions on whether or not it’s worth it.

Here are some photos, taken at 2:30 or 3:00 PM. Not sure if you can tell but the screens do seem to have a bit of a black tint to them.

Thank you in advance for feedback.

I did a quick google search and found this. Screens do vary, however, it tends to run about 30%. I guess if you wanted to be more precise, you could contact the manufacturer of the window they should be able to tell you.

 

[BrucherT]

Thank you everyone. Screens are removed.

 

[BrucherT]

If you are saying that the light exposure is glancingly southwest, that really screams out to me, NOT ENOUGH light.
The screens are not cutting down the light to where they become an issue. I would guess that they cut the light by 10% at most.
If your trianaei has been producing blind sheaths for years, that has nothing to do with the light at your temporary location.

If your orchids feature leaves on the darker side of green, blooming sporadically, removing those screens won’t make any difference. It is more about your Chicago growing spot. You brought them to Arkansas under performing. Removing screens there won’t solve your problem.
I grow under lights in the Detroit area. I have been doing that for almost 6 years. I use supplemental lights from October to May. It costs me about $25 a month for the power to run 24 light tubes for some 55 square feet of grow space.
Window screens are not my problem. Being this far north, shorter days, lake effect clouds, have a much greater impact then window screens, trust me.

I do hear you. However, please note that I am regularly blooming P. rothschildianum (and many others; that’s just my highest-light Paph); my Vanda coerulea from flask bloom at least yearly and one has put out 4 spikes in one calendar year; I’m successful with cacti in the same windows. The Cattleya is among plants that have been recovering from an unfortunate failure on my part to measure my RO ppm, which resulted in a great poisoning, loss of bulbs, etc.; it summers happily outdoors, which resulted in the sheath. I know I should think about some lights but that involves a setup I haven’t been prepared to make yet. I will be thinking harder about it for next winter.