The Getting of Wisdom

A novice grower, once asked the usual questionregarding light intensity. Although this seems to be a simple, straight forward question, it, in fact, masks a much deeper question. Namely;  How do we come to understand about light? Or how do we come to understand about anything?

The question was;
About light, Cattleyas are always used as the guide to light intensity, but that doesn't help this beginner. Can anybody tell me how the light needed by bigibbum-type Dens (which are the only orchids I can count on to re-bloom, so they must define how much light I have) relates to Cattleyas? If I knew that, then comparisons to Cattleyas would become meaningful for me.

And the answer thus;
This makes me think back to the time that I was trying to make head or tail of the same subject. And from this distance, I can see that it is a matter of experience. You do not get experience out of a book or from the answer to a single question.

Let me try to put this in a way that makes sense. Experience is made up of umpteen dumb questions asked of someone whom you hope has the answers. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. These answers then need a great deal of cogitation (That's thinking about) and YOU have to decide which bits are rubbish and which bits are gems. Then you need to take x number of orchids and try to grow them. This sometimes fails. When it fails, you must ask yourself what went wrong. You will not always be able to answer that question immediately. (That comes with experience)

The other major factor, is time. If you grow orchids for ten years, you will know more about growing orchids than you did after one year. (Unless you stop asking what went wrong) So keep smiling and keep observing and keep asking dumb questions and one day you will find that other folks are asking YOU questions about growing orchids and you are giving them the right answers.

I suppose I should try to give you an intelligent (?) answer to your query re. Cats. and light.
Basically, with all these things, you try something, and if, after a while, (And give it a fair trial) it seems to not be working, then try something else. Specifically, with light, the golden rule is give them more light until they either get red markings on the leaves or sunburn. The red markings are OK. The sunburn is not, and means that you have gone too far. This is the other great teacher of experience. We all have the answer that begins "I killed this orchid because….

To ask, 'how much light'? Does not compute. You need to understand you own environmental conditions. For example; an orchid in full sun may sunburn, An orchid in full sun with gale force fans blowing on it, may not sunbu

To ask how much air circulation, also does not compute. My hothouse, in summer, has two 18" fans (oscillating) at full blast. The air movement across the leaves helps to cool them.

Your windowsill orchids would not require such gale force winds. This is all about horses for courses. You must first consider the environmental conditions that your orchid lives in, and then adjust the various factors to suit.

Good luck

Tony Watkinson