I have these orchids in the house and I'm wanting to move them outside for the summer. I was hoping you could tell me the light requirements for them so I know where to put them outside.
Dendrobium
Oncidium
Cattleya
Vanda

The Vanda likes the most light, followed by the Cattleya, then the Dendrobium and finally the Oncidium. I would be more confident in my answer if I knew the variety of Dendrobium.

Jim

Thanks Jim. The dendrobium is a noid. For that matter they are all noid except the vanda's. I don't really have time to harden them off so do you know a good way to do that without burning the leaves.

Your sun is different than mine so it will be mostly trial and error. Start with mostly shade and give them more and more sun until you see sunburn spots. Keep in mind the order I gave you in my last post.

Jim

I agree completely with Jim, Heath. You and I have about the same sun, but that's probably all we have that's comparable. I have hundreds of orchids in "tree-shelves" and in community hanging baskets. All are under large oaks. Last summer, I moved my two old, large Vanda to full sun but by mid-July, I had to back off and put them back under the trees so that they only got full sun after 3:00 PM. They were much happier that way. None of my orchids, regardless of their family, get sun between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM. They all simply get dappled sun, but that is much more shade than sun. I do like for them to get early morning or late afternoon sun, but with so many plants, most don't even get that much direct sun.

As Jim said, you might have to experiment some. For me at least, I would ere on the side of more shade than more sun. I hate sunburned leaves. Talk about ugly lesions.

Thanks Jim and Ken. I'll start them out in deep shade and slowly move to full sun

I think you can start out closer than that. Start the Vanda and Cattleya in morning sun and afternoon shade. Start the Dendrobium and Oncidiums in dapple shade. One day in full sun will kill your Oncidiums so don't go there.

Jim

Ok thanks. That's what I'll do. I have already burnt the leaves on some of my houseplants I don't want to do it to my orchids.