Supplemental light: PPFD vs Foot Candles

[Clawhammer]

I bought a par meter when setting up my basement grow room. Since then I have changed everything and not used the light meter once. It is a good training tool, but ultimately it only tells you about one variable, and not that accurately as leaves at the bottom of the plant get a different par than ones at the top. Some are in a shadier spot because they are short, while others grow into the lights and get burnt. The meter doesn't tell you about photoperiod or how the light interplays with temperature at certain times of the year. So don't spend too much money because once you get familiar with your lights and the effects of light on your plants, you will probably not use it.

One thing it can be good for long term is understanding if your lights are wearing out.

[Jmoney]

I still use my PPAR meter regularly when moving plants around to find the optimal area, and also when I add new plants. I agree it's not the "gospel" but I find it continues to be a useful tool and worth my investment. and of course the bottom leaves (and leaves shaded by other plants) will not receive the same intensity as the canopy.

I believe there are other ways aside from spending $400 on approximating this data even from smartphones.

[rockyfarm]

I like the idea of integrating the PPFD value(s) over time (DLI) so I can manage daylength, under lights for optimum plant 'satisfaction'. I'm interested in cutting back the light intensities a bit to reduce their heating effect on my grow rooms.

[Clawhammer]

Originally Posted by rockyfarm

I like the idea of integrating the PPFD value(s) over time (DLI) so I can manage daylength, under lights for optimum plant 'satisfaction'. I'm interested in cutting back the light intensities a bit to reduce their heating effect on my grow rooms.

I also grow in a basement. I do four things to reduce heat and ultimately my electric bill:

1) During hot summer days (95+) I turn off half of my lights, the next day I turn them back on and turn off the other half. My plants normally all get the high end of the light range and I think they appreciate the shady days. This can also be a strategy if your lighting is too intense and you need to spread out the light energy.

2.) I open up a basement window and door around 3am in order to help cool my basement before the lights come on. I use a fan in front of the door to drop my basement temp as much as possible. A couple hours of this seems to have a lasting effect throughout the day. It also seems to help keep the rest of my house cooler on hot days.

3.) I change the light schedule to have them come on in the very early morning so that they shut off before the hottest part of the day.

4.) Since my grow room is all concrete, including the floor, on hot days I lightly spray the whole room with water, duplicating a short rain shower. Not enough to wet the media, just the leaves, trays, and floor. The evaporation drops the temp 1-2 degrees, and slows down temp increases for at least 3 hours after the drop.

[rockyfarm]

Originally Posted by Clawhammer

I also grow in a basement. I do four things to reduce heat and ultimately my electric bill:

2.) I open up a basement window and door around 3am in order to help cool my basement before the lights come on. I use a fan in front of the door to drop my basement temp as much as possible. A couple hours of this seems to have a lasting effect throughout the day. It also seems to help keep the rest of my house cooler on hot days.

4.) Since my grow room is all concrete, including the floor, on hot days I lightly spray the whole room with water, duplicating a short rain shower. Not enough to wet the media, just the leaves, trays, and floor. The evaporation drops the temp 1-2 degrees, and slows down temp increases for at least 3 hours after the drop.

Sounds challenging. I am lucky to be growing in a basement up north; mid-July it is still 65F (below grade). I've built a grow-room within this basement, fully lined with poly and with foam panel insulation on the ceiling and walls down to 4' above ground. The lamps warm the top part of grow-room to the upper 70's at which time a fan on the floor starts mixing in the cool air residing below the benches. I don't (so far) have to bring in outdoor air, and humidity runs 60 to 75% even without my mister running. In North Carolina I grow upstairs and it does get hot; I bought an evaporative cooler and place it on a drainage tray on a window sill (Amazon.com). This knocks over 5 degrees off the room temperature while keeping up humidity. I was surprised how well it worked even in a fairly humid southeastern locale.

[rockyfarm]

Ray, I agree that the original species are adapted to the conditions they were collected from. I'm growing mostly hybrids (that might not even survive in their source sites), and I'm growing them in a locale where NO epiphytic orchids live, and it's in a basement, about as artificial as you can get. So I have to provide every component for their survival. Since my lights are 'on' or 'off' I have to pick a 'daylength', and that need not be at 12 and 12. In my working days I could measure oxygen production as an indicator of photosynthesis, and investigate productivity at various durations, spectra, and intensities. But I don't have that equipment here, and I want more than just maximizing growth rate of my orchids - they should bloom, recover, and resume growth. So, although it is a hobby (for me, anyway), I like to learn how to improve my cultivation. Thanks for your response.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by rockyfarm

Ray, I agree that the original species are adapted to the conditions they were collected from. I'm growing mostly hybrids (that might not even survive in their source sites), and I'm growing them in a locale where NO epiphytic orchids live, and it's in a basement, about as artificial as you can get. So I have to provide every component for their survival. Since my lights are 'on' or 'off' I have to pick a 'daylength', and that need not be at 12 and 12. In my working days I could measure oxygen production as an indicator of photosynthesis, and investigate productivity at various durations, spectra, and intensities. But I don't have that equipment here, and I want more than just maximizing growth rate of my orchids - they should bloom, recover, and resume growth. So, although it is a hobby (for me, anyway), I like to learn how to improve my cultivation. Thanks for your response.

Rocky, I am not disagreeing with your approach. I was merely trying to convey that while there is bound to be some adaptability, there are limits.

[Ray]

Yes, indeed. The sun path does change depending upon the latitude and longitude.

You can see your own HERE.

However, the recommendations given by most books and the AOS are generally based upon plants grown in greenhouses in temperate locations, so if nothing else, are a good starting point for evaluation.

I mean - really! Nothing in orchid growing is cast in stone.

[Kosmo83]

Originally Posted by Ray

Yes, indeed. The sun path does change depending upon the latitude and longitude.

You can see your own HERE.

However, the recommendations given by most books and the AOS are generally based upon plants grown in greenhouses in temperate locations, so if nothing else, are a good starting point for evaluation.

I mean - really! Nothing in orchid growing is cast in stone.

Sorry, this time I used google-translate for some parts:

I am always amazed, be it in terraristik, aquariums or plants, that the keepers have previously managed to keep them alive and breed them, despite inadequate simulation of local conditions.

On the one hand, it shows the sensitivity of the caretaker, but also how adaptable our plants and animals are.

Nevertheless, I think that with today's possibilities to travel to the areas as well as the technical resources, perhaps we should rethink some facts, like the PPFD-recommondations for cattleya

[estación seca]

The best way would be to find the best-grown plants in cultivation and measure the light they receive.