I need lighting misting help

[Tikva]

I am a no maintenance orchid grower, but I KNOW my orchids will need extra light this fall / winter. Do we need special grow lights or will any light bulb work?

And then humidifiers? Warm mist or cool mist? I think all but my Masd. are warmish growers...

[mjr092]

Tikva, I'm new to orchid growing but I've used artificial lights extensively with other non-orchid plants. I have had success with fluorescents, they are easy to find and easy to set up. I've strung together 6 - 8 4" 40 watts for light the winter (from when I was living in Chgo) and by spring the plants were very well along and ready for the window sill. Fluorescents stay cool so no worries about fires when you're out of the house and the lights can sit right on the plants for maximum lumen coverage. The HID lights run about $250 more or less and need ventilation because they get hot, but provides much more usable light for the plant. You'll have to watch the temps, get some air circ going and control the humidity, e.g. add some b/c the light depending on your space will make the grow room hot. So fluorescents if you're on a budget and HID if you want a serious light that is more efficient. I prefer fluorescents because they are light and easy and I'm kinda no maintenance myself.These are shop light type fluorescent not special grow bulbs, which I think are a rip off. Incandenscent just is not going to work, by the way.

[Tikva]

Excellent! Thank you :c) I just have to keep an eye open for the most pleasant looking cheapest set up lol. Good to know!

[justatypn]

Excellent question Tik, I was wondering myself what the lighting situation would be like in a home grown enviroment during the winter. I appreciate your experience mjr and will have to give it some great thought as well as workmanship to produce productive chids in the winter. Here in Fl. warmth not a problem, no heat being used here an if we do, minimal but with 16 foot ceilings will have to come up with something non-perm and portable.

[Ironwood]

Four foot T5 high output fluorescent lights are the best grow light on the market today. Their output is relatively stable over the life of the lamps (20,000 hrs.). The light output of 4 foot T5 high output (54 watt) lamps is much greater than T12 lamps (shop lights), a 4 lamp T5 system rivals 400 watt HID system with way less heat. T12 lamps loose a lot of their intensity after 50% life and should be changed at about half life when used for grow light.