Growing Lights?

[butterfly_muse]

Hey guys! I have a question about using growing lights. In the next couple of months, my fiance and I will be moving to a new apartment and it looks like we will be on the bottom floor with northwest facing windows. This has made me quite sad, as I know orchids do not like those directions. Additionally, we had an old apartment with west facing windows that were heavily shaded by pine trees (pre-orchid) and my begonias were the most unhappy plants I've ever seen...we are currently in an apartment that faces south, and all of my plants are growing with vigor.

I would very much like to keep my plants alive and continue my orchid collection, so I'm considering setting up an area with growing lights for them in our new place. Does anyone have any recommendations? What kind, how many, how strong, how high should I hang them above the plants, do they put off a lot of heat, etc.? Any help would be great. Thanks!!

[DelawareJim]

A lot of us grow under High output T5 (HO T5) fixtures.

You can check them out in the "Growing Under Lights" forum.

Cheers.
Jim

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by butterfly_muse

Hey guys! I have a question about using growing lights. In the next couple of months, my fiance and I will be moving to a new apartment and it looks like we will be on the bottom floor with northwest facing windows. This has made me quite sad, as I know orchids do not like those directions).

I wouldn't exactly put it that way...

Some orchids can grow in those kinds of lighting conditions, you just have to know what kinds they are.

Originally Posted by butterfly_muse

I would very much like to keep my plants alive and continue my orchid collection, so I'm considering setting up an area with growing lights for them in our new place. Does anyone have any recommendations? What kind, how many, how strong, how high should I hang them above the plants, do they put off a lot of heat, etc.? Any help would be great. Thanks!!

What kinds of orchids are you planning on getting. It all depends on the orchids.

T5's are fine for low light to moderate light growers. If you're growing bright light growers, T5's may not be enough.

[Ray]

I sell a LOT of Hydrofarm T5 fixtures, and you can grow anything under them, if you get enough bulbs. I also am selling a lot of LED lights - white ones "tuned" for plant AND having them appear nice, unlike the red/blue ones.


Ray Barkalow
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[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

I wouldn't exactly put it that way...

Some orchids can grow in those kinds of lighting conditions, you just have to know what kinds they are.



What kinds of orchids are you planning on getting. It all depends on the orchids.

T5's are fine for low light to moderate light growers. If you're growing bright light growers, T5's may not be enough.

I currently have two phals and feel a special affinity for them (I really like their leaves and flower shape, I am told that makes me weird..but nobody listens to my fiance anyway. :P) and I would like to get some mini phals and a few doritaenopsis orchids too. Then I might branch out to some oncidiums, but that will be a while yet. First I need to make sure I can keep what I have alive. The second I see a flower spike coming off one of my rescues, I'm sure I'll have a heart attack and feel successful, hehe.

---------- Post added at 01:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:58 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Ray

I sell a LOT of Hydrofarm T5 fixtures, and you can grow anything under them, if you get enough bulbs. I also am selling a lot of LED lights - white ones "tuned" for plant AND having them appear nice, unlike the red/blue ones.


Ray Barkalow
Sent using Tapatalk

I have read a lot about T5 on this board, but I am still not quite that familiar with the whole lighting deal. Does it matter what kind of plant you put under them? And ~how many lights per how many plants? I have a bakers rack that all of my plants share, and I've got a couple begonias, African violets, phals, and some kind of weird ivy leaf office plant that someone gave me. No idea what it is but it sure likes the sun.

[SlipperGirl]

I am thinking of putting my orchids under lights this Fall so I have been trying to find out what I need, so well i was looking I found this at Firstrays Artifical Lighting

Also I plan on getting my lights from firstrays

just go to firstrays.com and click on the lighting

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by mothorchidgirl

I am thinking of putting my orchids under lights this Fall so I have been trying to find out what I need, so well i was looking I found this at Firstrays Artifical Lighting

Also I plan on getting my lights from firstrays here is the link to the lights he has.

Thank you! I will definitely read this fully when I get home (I'll be fired if I sit here and read it now, as much as I want to!).

[SlipperGirl]

Originally Posted by butterfly_muse

Thank you! I will definitely read this fully when I get home (I'll be fired if I sit here and read it now, as much as I want to!).

Hope it helps

[Ray]

I just got in another shipment of the 17W LEDs. For plants like phals, one will adequately light an area of about 5 square feet.

Also, when posting a link to our store, please remove the cart_id=xxxxxxxxx.xxx part, as that is unique to an individual, so if clicked-on, can cause problems with your order.


Ray Barkalow
Sent using Tapatalk

[SlipperGirl]

Originally Posted by Ray

Also, when posting a link to our store, please remove the cart_id=xxxxxxxxx.xxx part, as that is unique to an individual, so if clicked-on, can cause problems with your order.


Ray Barkalow
Sent using Tapatalk

oops sorry didnt pay attention that I did that