What are the light requirements of orchids?
Orchids have very widely varying light needs and understanding the appropriate amount of light for the type of orchid is essential to their care. Even ‘high light’ orchids do not require the kind of bright direct sunshine that a tomato plant does and even ‘low light’ orchids will not be happy indefinitely in the middle of a room far from any light source. Even a North window can be too little light for low light orchids to bloom reliably but a South window may need some shading. In fact, it is often inadequate light that inhibits orchid blooming. Some orchids, especially those which like high light levels, enjoy being summered outside in dappled shade and for many high light orchids that is the easiest way, to give them enough light to bloom. If high light orchids are to remain indoors, many will not bloom reliably without some sort of supplemental light unless they are in a very bright sun room or greenhouse. Fortunately, fluorescent bulbs with broad spectrum bulbs work fairly well wi
