Need Grow Light Guidance for Cattleyas to Bloom

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by realoldbeachbum

Thanks WW. Next year, I might put them outside, but will need to come up with some type of shade. I HAVE NO SHADE IN THIS BLAZING AL SUN! But, for this year, I will increase the light inside. Just now I bumped it up from 6 hours to 10 hours, and within a few weeks will bump it on up to 14-16 hours. (I have the lights on KASA timers and can change on my cell phone! Technology at its finest.)

I will invest in a light meter just for good measure.

I am incredibly envious of you seasoned orchid growers that can just 'stick them under some shop lights and go forth'. I became interested in orchids only 3 years ago, and now have 58. I am definitely in over my head; but I LOVE IT!!! Really appreciate your advice.

LOL... well, my "shop lights" are LEDs by the way. I stopped buying florescent a loooong time ago. I find the light meter handy when moving stuff around. Like in the spring when I move them outside, then partway through the summer, it's a super quick way to see how the sun is or isn't progressing... same with having a bunch of different height orchids on the same shelf. Quick, easy, done. For like $20, it's a cheap investment and gives one peace of mind when first starting out.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by JScott

I run them for 14 hours a day every day all year.

Sorry, this sentence made me think you were growing orchids inside all year.

[pdxtyler]

[QUOTE=JScott;932329]I use T5 fixtures that are 4 feet wide with 4 bulbs. I keep the tops of my plants about 2 to 6 inches below the lights. I run them for 14 hours a day every day all year.[COLOR="Silver"]

This is great info. I'm looking to expand my 2 shelf wire rack grow space to 3 shelves. Because I have bright LEDs (3 x Spider Farmer 600s) on the top shelf, I have to leave some space for even light distribution and as not to burn the orchids. However, this leaves limited space for the other two shelves. I'm thinking I'm going to get an 4' 8bulb T5 from active grow and have it about 8" above the canopy. I wasn't sure if this was overkill or not, but seems like it might not be close enough!

Since your plants are so close to the lights, what happens when you get blooms that extend above the canopy that would essentially be touching the lights?

[Dorchid]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Sorry, this sentence made me think you were growing orchids inside all year.

That’s my plan. I have them under lights for 15 hrs a day and will start backing that down to 11-12 hrs for the winter months starting in October or so. I mostly have intermediate growing plants...catts, ctsm, enc, coryanthes, a zygo(more cool I believe). You think this will be problematic? Any suggestions on photoperiod?

[estación seca]

I don't grow orchids under lights here. They get around 10 hours of natural light from November to February. I don't understand why people use 12-hour cycles in winter.

[Dorchid]

I just figured it would be less than the 15 I’m giving them now and would be a significant decrease in photoperiod which might signify a change in season. As they’re under lights, I’ve read a longer photoperiod helps get them the light they need. That said, I believe most of these plants are more equatorial than not, so a change at all would be weird but might appease the mean requirements of the group. Why do you use 10hrs in winter? Also, did you have answer to my initial question?

[estación seca]

I don't grow under lights now. I have natural 10-hour days in winter. When I did grow under lights I used 8 hour days. The plants were fine, and it used less electricity. Cactus, succulents, a few orchids.

[Dorchid]

Very good; Thanks! I’ll move it down to 8 hrs.

[WaterWitchin]

Well, it also definitely depends on one’s growing space. When I had all orchids in house, in a sun room facing south, I used no lights at all mid October through sometime in May while inside. Then they went outside rest of year. No blooming issues.

When I moved to BatCave (basement) is when I started using lights. I’ve been on that schedule for at least six years. I leave them on 12-13 hours a day, after a couple years tweaking, because it appeared to be a break-even point for best lighting. A lot also depends on where they’re situated, intensity of light where they are being grown.

[Dorchid]

I meant to ask a clarifying question, being, was that 8 hrs year round or just winter? I then started thinking maybe between those and cutting it down to 10 hrs in the winter.

WW - Was that 12-13 year round?