Light question (Phalaenopsis)

[tedro]

Originally Posted by Ray

“Burning” is all about photon flux - too much from any light source can burn leaves.

Every plant has a range of “photon volume” (aka “daily light integral” or DLI) it needs to do best. That can be guesstimated by intensity x time. If you read a culture guide and get a recommendation of “so many“ foot candles, if switching to artificial light, the plant will need a continual level of light at about half that. (READ THIS).

If you don’t have a light meter, the best you can do is try the “shadow” method: hold your hand about a foot above the plant, between it and the light source. Move the light closer or farther until you can barely discern a shadow on the plant. That’s a reasonable level for a phal. Be observant - if the plant starts looking really dark green after several weeks, move the lamp a little closer.

Thank you! I did read the article.

I am curious about your use of the word “continual,” 24x7 is probably not what that refers to?

Here’s my deal/my question-to-self when i read the moth orchid tag that said “indirect” and whatever (can’t remember) else it said that indicated that possibly I could have a beautiful FLOWERING plant in my dark and at times dank apartment.
so I thought I’d give it a try. Not willing to test the limits of low light on the plant I decided to see what I could do for it to thrive and boy is it thriving. Or at least seems to be. however, this is high maintenance. And for me it would have to be very low maintenance.
For example the location of this plant the only location I really have for it requires me to more or less put it to bed and wake up each day because I have to open and close my lanai curtain every day and morning. And that requires me to move a little supplemental lamp around and move the plant around several times a day.
I could probably get a better lamp with timer of course, and relocated to a table more inside the apartment. But that’s not the lamp fixture I have and the table is not exactly suited — Maybe it could be.

But for now I just want to see what it does and is doing quite well whether I can keep this up or will want to or relocate at the lower end to see how it does is all another question.

But that’s kind of why am asking all these questions plus it’s very interesting.

I may be overdoing it a bit I should probably cut my lamp back to 13 hours instead of 14.

Thank you very much!!!maybe it could be.

But for now I just want to see what it does and is doing quite well whether I can keep this up or will want to or relocate at the lower ends to see how it does is all another question.

But that’s kind of why am asking all these questions plus it’s very interesting.

I may be overdoing it a bit I should probably cut my lamp back to 13 hours instead of 14; and, I’m beginning to move my lamp back a little not so close. The light meter so I have I have about three of them as apps on my phone, Or kind of not consistent and all over the place. I find a little app called Plant Light, to be the most useful even though it’s probably pretty much the same as the shadow method or about as accurate. But it seems that with my little lamp in the daytime I’m probably getting “medium” light.

attached meter image (‘Korona’ ios app).
also found this article: MechaTronix - Typical PPFD and DLI values per crop
I’ve also seen this: Suggested maximum light intensities for some common orchid genera are 1,500 foot-candles for Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum, 2,500 foot-candles for Miltoniopsis and Zygopetalum, 3,000 foot-candles for Cattleya, and 5,000 foot-candles for Brassia, Cymbidium, Degarmoara, Dendrobium and Oncidium.

and this (not a member, just looking for DLI stuff — these are only my quickest google search results): How much PAR are your orchids getting? | Slippertalk Orchid Forum- The best slipper orchid forum for paph, phrag and other lady slipper orchid discussion!

If any of that is incorrect, please comment!

Thank you very much!!!

ps. i may well be overdoing it! which would be good, to me. Next is to back off and see what happens. Or get another phal and see if it does anything more than survive at the lowest end. probably not going to do that!