Silly question

[Marleneann]

RE: artificial lighting.
This may be a silly question but as this is not done in our climate I am just wondering...how long are lights left on orchids?
Are they turned off at night?

Thanks.

[Phantasm]

I haven't grown under lights for many years, but they definitely need a dark period. In the wild, most tropical orchids have equivalent hours of dark/light so it's probably wise to approach that. In a greenhouse, you get extra hours in the summer and fewer in the winter.

[orcdfrk]

Marleneann, you need to simulate the changing light patterns they would encounter in the wild. Here's what I've found to work;
Nov-Jan 16hrs/day, Feb-June 18hrs/day, July-Aug 16hrs/day, Sept-Oct 12hrs/day...hope this helps

[Eric M Muehlbauer]

I have a fluorescent light garden, that I use mainly for seedlings....almost all paphs with a few phrags. I keep the lights on about 15 hours a day, from late September to mid-May...then they go off while the plants go outside or on windowsills. I use to leave them on 16 hours, but saw no benefit...so I cut back. I use 4 bulb fixtures, 3 cool white, 1 warm white. Take care, Eric

[Oscarman]

Orchfrk are you growing under flourescents or HID? And is that without supplimental natural light? 18 hrs seems like a long time - although you must be getting good results.

I have gone up to 16 in the summer and dropped down to 12 in the winter.

[orcdfrk]

Oscar, i'm growing under both; 400wHID for my catts and encyclia and a dual warm/cool fluorescent for the rest. In a west facing window with sheer curtain so they do get supplemental afternoon sun. My avatar is my C. Maxima

[bodaciousbonsai]

Hello thats all I grow under. Except I use floursent bulbs from a reef tank, 10,000 k whites and antenic blue.I have about 35 miniature mounted orchids,sinningias, carnivorous plants,phals, paphs, winter 14 hrs, spring 18,summer they are all out side!
Clay