Question
Wayne,
I have moved my orchids out to my pool area and would like to ask you a question regarding location.
My pool is enclosed in a screen area as many pools are in Orlando, Florida where I live.
The screen minimizes the mosquitoes and other critters we would have if we did not have it in place.

Given its black color, it also reduces the amount of sun light that the pool area gets.

I have moved all my plants out to the North West corner of my pool. It is protected on the sides by the bushes on the north and west side of the pool, it will get a nice breeze from the wind over the pool area; the running water on the pool should also keep the environment nice.

I believe that it won't get direct sun given that the screen will reduce it, this is the main reason for this posting.

I had it under my patio, covered area, but they were not progressing as much as I would like.

I have taken a couple of pictures from my patio's covered area for your reference:
http://www.caripito.com/images/orchids/Orchids1.JPG
http://www.caripito.com/images/orchids/Orchids2.JPG

Can you please take a look and let me know what you think? I could also consider putting an umbrella over the orchids, but I rather not do that.

Finally and on a completely different subject, I went to the Central Florida Orchid Show this past Sunday and bought two nice Cattleyas which I am very happy about, I've copied these also to my site, you can check them out at,

http://www.caripito.com/images/orchids/BLCChiaLinNewCity1.JPG
http://www.caripito.com/images/orchids/BLCChiaLinNewCity2.JPG
http://www.caripito.com/images/orchids/BLCChiaLinNewCity3.JPG
http://www.caripito.com/images/orchids/BLCChiaLinNewCity4.JPG
http://www.caripito.com/images/orchids/BLCChiaLinNewCity1.JPG
http://www.caripito.com/images/orchids/BLCSylviaHillLCShellieCompton1.jpg
http://www.caripito.com/images/orchids/BLCSylviaHillLCShellieCompton2.jpg
http://www.caripito.com/images/orchids/BLCSylviaHillLCShellieCompton3.jpg
http://www.caripito.com/images/orchids/BLCSylviaHillLCShellieCompton4.jpg

I found some information on the BLC Chia Lin New City orchid, but not on the BLC Sylvia Hill LC Shellie Compton orchid. Let me know if you have any ideas as to how I can go about finding the origins of these.

Thanks in advance, as always.
Angelo

Answer
Angelo, with regard to the cattleyas, you have some fine plants.  Blc Chia Lin is a named cross between Blc Oconee x Blc Maitland. You have an AOS awarded clone of this plant which is named 'New City'.  It is set off in single quotes to show that it is a specific color form of  Blc Chia Lin.  On the other hand Blc Sylvia Hill x C. Shellie Compton is an unnamed cross of these two hybrids. The parents of Blc Sylvia Hill are Lc Mildred Rives x Blc Meditation.  The other parent, C Shellie Compton has a beautiful white flower with a lavender lip.  I have special software called "Wildcatt" which enables me to do searches for parenthood, awards, etc.. There is now other, more powerful software.  Recently, a much more powerful software package has been released called Orchid Wiz.  It has information we would never even think to ask at a price we might not even consider.  All of these software packages provide regular updates, for a price.

With regard to light levels, I'm not sure how the sun screen is rated.  Shade cloth is rated by the amout of sunlight it blocks.  Thus, a rating of 50% blocks half the light intensity.  The cattleyas can tolerate about twice the light levels of phalaenopsis so one intensity does not fit all.  The cattleyas can use about 40-50 percent blockage whereas phalaenopsis do fine under 70 percent blockage.  If your plants begin to show burning, you could purchase rated sun screen at a garden center and suspend it over the plants to provide additional shade.