Do I need supplemental lighting for my phalaenopsis orchids?!

[Pippa]

It's so confusing, isn't it?!! I think a lot of the conflicting advice is because individual orchids can vary hugely in their response to growing situations, so what works for one person may not for another (e.g. I am regularly told that 15 degrees C is the absolute minimum for Phals to survive...but if my Phals have temperatures of 15 or above, they think a heatwave is happening! Being 'too cold' to survive hasn't stopped them growing and blooming for several years now)

I would suggest moving your orchids around if possible - to rooms where the temps will be higher or lower or to where they will have more or less light. Eventually, you will work out what works best for your own plants.

Another option might be if you know anyone local who has orchids which bloom, you could ask to see their collection and compare the conditions that it has to your own - then you can adjust how you treat your plants based on what is successful for someone living near you.

Don't give up! There is nothing quite like the excitement of finally getting a reliable rebloom!

[twinkie]

Originally Posted by Ray

Hah! You and I both made some assumptions here - you that the photo represented a momentary flash of sunlight, and I that it was the normal lighting, so I apologize for calling you out on that.

Two years ago I moved from PA to southeast NC, so had a major upgrade in the days of clear skies and sun, especially over the winter, going from almost none to almost all, so I guess I've become spoiled in that short time.

However, I will state again that phals are deep shade plants, and do very well with no direct sun at all - mine are in north-facing windows in winter and on a deck on the north side of the house all summer, and have never done better.

OP lives in Canada. They are much further North even than I am. I think it's fairly safe to assume that if they tick off how many days and hours of real sunshine they get in that sliver of window, they could judge whether or not there is 'enough' light.

Not only are we talking about light, but about intensity of light. I live in eternal foggy gloom. Gopher hole lighting. I can drive 2 hours in just about any direction and suddenly be able to SEE, um, like that small coffee dribble on a white winter vest (or my peach fuzz ) I don't notice in my lighting. If the OP lives in an area that is blessed with many many sunny days per year, there is still the intensity of light to contend with that does reach the plants.

If we flattened out a globe of the earth and ran a line through all the areas that have shade loving phals in nature - the types that we are trying to grace our homes with - am pretty sure that line would not cross through Canada or the Pacific Northwest , hence, my 'assumption' OP probably needs supplemental lighting (along with my experience relatively close to the Canadian border). A shade loving phal could live happily a certain distance from the equator getting dappled light and loving it. The further from the equator the less intensity of light. Add to that equation the artificial heating needed in cold climes, lack of humidity, and suddenly each ingredient in the 'Happy Phal' recipe becomes critical for success. I would kill to have the lighting you have in NC, that right there is tropical to me!

[jcec1]

Mine do well on obstructed east facing windows - I'm the same latitude as southern Alaska and get approx 1200 hours of sunshine a year - so I reckon supplemental light would not be necessary.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by twinkie

OP lives in Canada. They are much further North even than I am. I think it's fairly safe to assume that if they tick off how many days and hours of real sunshine they get in that sliver of window, they could judge whether or not there is 'enough' light.

I might have agreed with you on this at one time, but for two observations: the best phalaenopsis I have ever seen were growing in a greenhouse that was SO algae-covered that there was absolutely no sunlight entering it at all. Quite literally, when entering the greenhouse from outdoors, it took a couple of minutes for your eyes to adjust well enough to see anything.

If you've ever been fortunate enough to see some phalaenopsis plants in the wild, you'd be as astounded as I was about how well-shaded (no sunlight, ever...) they are.

One more factor to consider is that plants can adapt to lower lighting conditions. They may skip a bloom cycle to do so, but ultimately will adjust and carry on beautifully.

[twinkie]

Originally Posted by Ray

I might have agreed with you on this at one time, but for two observations: the best phalaenopsis I have ever seen were growing in a greenhouse that was SO algae-covered that there was absolutely no sunlight entering it at all. Quite literally, when entering the greenhouse from outdoors, it took a couple of minutes for your eyes to adjust well enough to see anything.

If you've ever been fortunate enough to see some phalaenopsis plants in the wild, you'd be as astounded as I was about how well-shaded (no sunlight, ever...) they are.

One more factor to consider is that plants can adapt to lower lighting conditions. They may skip a bloom cycle to do so, but ultimately will adjust and carry on beautifully.

Not important if you 'agree' with me or not. We both are growing on different parts of the earth. Again. Greenhouse. Heat, humidity, moisture, and where exactly was this greenhouse - factors to discuss compared to OP's set up in Canada. I'm actually from brasil, so I know something about the differences in light compared to where I am currently living, and have cultivated and seen many orchids in the wild while hiking. An avocado cut in half with the seed left in it in the dark bottom vegetable crisper will have a tap root growing out of it 6" long in no time. Completely different set of conditions for LIFE down there.

[wisdomseeker]

Originally Posted by Orchid grower

Hello everyone!

My phals sit by a west facing window. My pics show my phals getting some direct light but this is only for a little bit until the sun shifts.

Now my question is after looking at my setup do you think supplemental lighting could be beneficial for my orchids?

I think it would be beneficial. When there is no right, and no wrong, there is always better, eh?

Ninety percent of the orchids I grow are miniatures, and my entire orchid collection is grown indoors under artificial lighting. I own one Phalaenopsis that I have been growing for a few years. The windows in my house (where I am growing these orchids) face east, west & south. These windows provide very little usable light for any kind of plant growing... I have lots of pine trees growing in the yard that surrounds my house... they block out most of the sunlight that enters through those windows.

I've been growing the above mentioned phal in 'light spill' coming from my orchid growing enclosures. I often hear that phals are low light plants, and also often times see recommendations of 1,000-1,500 fc for growing these orchids.

Mine has been doing fine in about 8200 LUX (around 760 fc) of artificial light. But, this low light has a consistent photo-period of 9-10 hours per day (no cloudy, rainy, black/gray, or "no-light-at-all" days).

[Orchid grower]

I would like to thank everyone for the replies! This has turned into quite an interesting discussion.

I do live in BC, Canada and it can be quite dreary and overcast on most days.. it was just snowing this morning!

I did go ahead and purchase some supplemental lights for my orchids. Today is the first day I'm trying them and I will include a picture of my setup with the lights on and with them off. Photos were taken around 4pm.

I have been tracking my temperature the last week and I also wanted to share that to provide more insight to my environment.
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Saturday Low of 15°C High of 22°C
Sunday Low 13°C and High of 24°C
Monday Low of 13°C and High of 22°C
Tuesday Low of 14°C and High of 24°C
Wednesday Low of 13°C and High of 21°C.
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I would love your opinions and thoughts after seeing my updated setup and my temperatures.

Thanks everyone!


I also wanted to add I may have realized what I've been doing wrong... so the past couple months were really cold and its finally warming up a bit - everytime I would water my plants I would turn on the heat mat and let them sit there for a couple days until they were a bit drier.. I did this in fear of the roots freezing. Now I'm wondering If doing this actually confused the orchids which is why they didnt spike for me?? Anyone have any thoughts on this? Thanks!

[Ray]

I think you're growing them too cold. Phalaenopsis, for the most part, are "hot" growers, rarely, if ever, seeing below 20°C in nature.

---------- Post added at 09:15 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:05 AM ----------

Originally Posted by twinkie

Not important if you 'agree' with me or not. We both are growing on different parts of the earth. Again. Greenhouse. Heat, humidity, moisture, and where exactly was this greenhouse - factors to discuss compared to OP's set up in Canada. I'm actually from brasil, so I know something about the differences in light compared to where I am currently living, and have cultivated and seen many orchids in the wild while hiking. An avocado cut in half with the seed left in it in the dark bottom vegetable crisper will have a tap root growing out of it 6" long in no time. Completely different set of conditions for LIFE down there.

Where a plant is grown has no bearing on what it needs to grow best. Orchids are "niche plants" and have very specific requirements. Growing a particular plant on a windowsill or in a greenhouse, closer to the equator in Recife or at the North Pole, it still has the same cultural needs.

Certainly how and where you grow it plays a role in how you well achieve those requirements or don't, but it has no bearing on what's best for the plant.

By the way, that dark greenhouse was in NJ.

My personal growing experience includes under lights in GA back in the mid-70's, windowsills and greenhouse in KY, outdoors and greenhouse in SC, greenhouses in NJ and PA, and now I'm back to windowsills and outdoors in NC for the last two years. Lot's of different growing conditions, but my phalaenopsis plants' needs were and are the same all over!