Epis in direct sun?

Hi everyone, I am new to epis and have really enjoyed looking through your posts, i've found some great tips! I noticed many of the pictures seem to have epis growing on patios where i would assume they get at least a few hours of DIRECT sun. From what i learned so far, i was under the impression that they only liked bright indirect light - but the blooms on all these photos are AMAZING! I have just recently began aquiring epis (i don't know why but people around me are selling full sized plants at garage sales for only a dollar or 2?!?!!) and have about 9 full grown plants already. Most of them are in great shape but have the normal knicks and scars that seem to haunt these guys. I am trying to find a place to put them all - i have to be stopped! We recently put up a greenhouse shade on our porch and I have them under that now, I live in zone 9 (san diego) and it never really gets above 90 at the most here, would love some input on placement - how much sun is best for blooms? how often to repot - some of them look really root bound but the pots are at least 1gal and i have also noticed many people with huge plants in pots this size, I know they like to be crowded but how much is too much? I would love to hear ANY pointers
Thanks!!
Abbie

Welcome Abbie, I'm just kind of a lurker on this forum, but I do have a few epi's myself. Sorry no one replied. I keep mine on a north front porch (porch is covered). And I keep them outside in the fall as late as possible without freezing, (I heard the cold temps help them bloom better the following summer). Maybe mine need more sun... they don't really get any direct sun. This will bump this back up and maybe someone closer to your zone will see it. -Bonnie

Thanks Bonnie, I've been checking every day!! I fret so much about burning them, I should probably just let them be and see how they like it, I feel like I have 8 new children instead of plants!!
The colder winter inducing better flowering is interesting, it doesn't get very cold here though!
Would love more input!
Abbie

I'm not sure I believe the cold weather/blooming thing. I know it works for Christmas Cactus. But for the sun, I know if I put mine in direct sun they would burn, but maybe the sun isn't as hot as in CA... You got a bargain on those plants, too! I know what you mean by children. I have a plant sitter (friend) for when I can't be home early enough to water and for the night I spend at my BF's. Brett comes over and waters for me. Or I'll call him "I'm going shopping after work, would you mind checking the brugs, hibiscus, fuschia, and ferns?". Oh, well, that's just the motherly instinct, I guess. I'd be fussing over something else, if it wasn't my plants.

Hello Everyone... I have had the eppies for years and can tell you how I treat mine. Not saying that this is the only way, everybody has their own method.

I give mine as much sun as I can. In the spring when they first come out of the basement or greenhouse they are in total shade but gradually I move them into dappled sun and then morning sun. This time of the year they are in full sun and growing like crazy.

They do like to be root bound. I repot mine when the roots start to break open or grow out of the plastic pots. Some were too big last year so I repotted it into smaller pots to start over. I don't fertilize until they set buds. The Eppies seem to be one of those plants that seem to flower better in panic mode. "I think I am going to die of thirst or from hunger I better make some flowers." LOL My large Night blooming is on the 4th bloom flush for the year. There were about 20 that opened on one night a couple of weeks ago and there are about a dozen that will open this week. The leaves look pale, they got a dose of Messenger last week and will get a bath with Bloom Booster tomorrow. I also feed all of my orchid cactus banana peels. I just cut them up and drop on the soil.

I try to keep my O C in the coolest part of the GH in the winter, some winter in the basement with very little care.

Hope this answers some of your questions. They are really fun plants with beautiful blooms.

Betty

These are some of my Eppies I just noticed that one of the pictures is not the one that I meant to post. Too late now. I meant to include a picture of the night bloomer.

Abbie... All of your plants are beautiful. From the picture they look like they are in good pots for their size, the only one that I would look at is the one in the dark green pot hanging in the back.

What is the vine behind them?

B... were you asking me or Abbie?

Sorry, Betty, how are you today? What vine(s) do you have? Looks like there might be one... I love your pic, too, guess I need some that bloom during the day. I was asking Abby, she has a wood trellis behind her epi's, close to the side of the house, wondering what it might be..

Betty,
GREAT pics!! Love those blooms!!!
Chantell

Picabo,

when you say you winter yours in your basement, how much light are they getting and how cool does your basement get during the winter?...your blooms are beautiful....

Sandy

Hi Sandy, B and Chantell ... The basement is unheated, Don't really know the temp. Well above freezing. The plants are in a room next to the laundry room so I am sure it is above average humidity.

I only water about once a month. I have shop lights in the room (There are three shop lights in the room which is about 10'x 14") . Each shop light has two bulbs one bulb is cool and the other is warm. I have used the Grow Lights or Vita Lites. I don't see any difference in the plants using the cheaper bulbs. The lights are on a timer and are turned on for 12 hours a day.

I hope this answers your questions.

Thanks Picabo...i was wondering about your lighting....i have grow lights too but i dont have a basement to keep the epis cool in.....I am going to try my bedroom....its usually cooler there in the winter and they would get just the natural light from the window....if i keep watered once a month in that kind of environment, i would think i would possibly see some blooms next spring dont you think?....I had also tossed the idea of putting them in my garage...its not insulated but stays well above freezing but there is no natural light in there.....that is the drawback....thanks for answering my questions!

Sandy

Your night bloomer sounds amazine AuntB - even more so to me because i have never actually seen a live bloom - in fact all your blooms are stunning, I hope mine are as nive (I hope I have some). Funny...the dark green one was repotted just last week! It turned out to be a plant someone had started about 5 cuttings in however long ago, all different root systems - score!! 5 epis for $1!!!
Thanks for the thumbs up, it gives me better confidence to know someone else gave them the okay.
The vine I have in my photo is a vigna carcalla - don't know if i spelled it right, the common name - snail vine. One of my favorites but that one got really messy and had to be removed to make room for my new yellow clivias - THANKS CRAIG!!! I am growing two in pots now, but they don't seem to like it as much.
These epis are growing so fast i had no idea cacti could! So many mixed results on the sunshine OH WHAT TO DO. I guess i will keep them indirect unless anyone from San Diego (9b) has a reccomendation. I have picked up a few from garage sales around here that are burnt so i can only assume our sun is too hot.
We also don't get freezing temps at all, so i suppose they should be fine outside all the time, but i wonder if they would bloom better in the greenroom - any input??
Watering once a month???? WOW I don't know if I could refrain that long! Thanks for the fertilizing tips everyone, they are much needed.