Is 16 hours too much light for winter growing?

[piping plover]

My indoor catts went from their approx 10 hrs daylight outdoors October to now indoors with a combined day length of 16 hours between natural daylight and my high intensity lighting. I’m glad they are going into sheath and buds but I’m concerned now that with 16 hour days they might think it’s summer as they are putting out roots like crazy and some that should be resting are rooting and swelling new growths. Just wanna be sure I’m not skipping them past winter rest period with confusing growth cycles come real spring. Any reason I should cut light to no more than 12 hours (Equator daylight)?

[Roberta]

I think 16 hours is too much for any time of year. Orchids native to the tropics experience 12 hours of daylight all year around. Those from somewhat higher latitudes will experience more seasonal changes, but since no epiphytic orchids are native to near-polar regions, none of them want that many hours of light. I can see swinging from 14 hour or so in summer to 9-10 hours of light in winter, or supplementing to 12 for the really tropical ones. In fact for some, getting inadequate dark hours can actually inhibit blooming.

[piping plover]

Thank you Roberta, that makes good sense to me!

Originally Posted by Roberta

I think 16 hours is too much for any time of year. Orchids native to the tropics experience 12 hours of daylight all year around. Those from somewhat higher latitudes will experience more seasonal changes, but since no epiphytic orchids are native to near-polar regions, none of them want that many hours of light. I can see swinging from 14 hour or so in summer to 9-10 hours of light in winter, or supplementing to 12 for the really tropical ones. In fact for some, getting inadequate dark hours can actually inhibit blooming.