HAVE NO CLUE WHATSOEVER - HELP NEEDED!!

[Sandy4453]

I am so confused and need help...PLEASE. I need to bring some of my orchids indoors and have absolutely no idea what kind of lighting/system and all that goes with this, to buy. I've been reading all these threads in the lighting forum and I'm even more confused now. I get lost with all this information.

I think I need T5 lights but exactly what to buy, everything I'll need, what to ask for and where I can buy these, such as a Home Depot, possibly? or can/should I order an entirely assembled lighting system? Money is an issue and I need to be conservative so all the bells and whistles won't due, plain and simple, will. I plan on starting out with bringing some of my orchids in from the patio and onto two, 3 tiered shelving units, each measuring, 2 feet wide.

I'm sure I'm not giving enough info. for the advice I'm asking but I don't even know what else to provide to get the advice I'm asking! Clueless, here! I've got high, medium and low light orchids to consider and the need to distance and keep close enough to these lights is one thing I understand...everything else, I'm in the dark.

Can someone please tell me exactly what I need and I'll go buy it?

P.S. I told you I was clueless, didn't I?

[Magnus A]

Hello Sandy

As I am not from the US I have a little hard time to direct you to a specific source, but I think it is of interest to know how many plants we talk about in your case.

I love T5´s but they are not suitible for a large amount of plants were I would go for MH or HPS that could cover larger areas.

/Magnus

[Sandy4453]

Originally Posted by Magnus A

Hello Sandy

As I am not from the US I have a little hard time to direct you to a specific source, but I think it is of interest to know how many plants we talk about in your case.

I love T5´s but they are not suitible for a large amount of plants were I would go for MH or HPS that could cover larger areas.

/Magnus

Hi Magnus and thanks for your response. I've got about 200 orchids but I'm only talking about 25-30 under lights, maybe more will be added as I go but I plan to keep most on the patio where I grow, year long. It's just during the cooler months that I need to consider indoor growing. South Florida does get cold spells and during those few times during winter, I bring them inside for a day or 2, just for shelter from the cold and then, back out as soon as it warms up again. My Catts are hanging on a palm tree, my Dendrobiums are kept outdoors year long but some I need to bring in, along with all my Bulbos, some onc's, phals are kept outside until it hits about 50 degrees.......I don't know where to start!

Oh yes, and 4 Vandas!

P.S. It went down to 47 degrees last night. I wasn't prepared for this!!!!!!

[Ross]

Sandy, do you plan to leave these plants indoors permanently? Or even over the winter? Or is this just for those times the temps drop?

If it's the latter, you don't need lights. Even a week of dreary weather doesn't seem to bother any of mine.

If you plan to set up something more permanent, then you should be looking at light fixtures that will fit your growing rack shelves. You don't need really expensive High Output T5 lights, but they do a better job of lighting a large area. Home Depot "skinny tube" fixtures (t8) will work, you just need to place the plants pretty close to the tubes. I think HD has some complete setups available.

[Swamper]

Hi Sandy. I'm curious why you want to bring them in. Did you have any casualties last winter? Not trying to be a smartbutt just curious if you had problems in south fla before?

[Sandy4453]

Originally Posted by Swamper

Hi Sandy. I'm curious why you want to bring them in. Did you have any casualties last winter? Not trying to be a smartbutt just curious if you had problems in south fla before?

Swamper, you are a smarbutt! I've seen some of what you're growing and, beautifully!!! and any comments to enlighten me are most appreciated. With that said.....

It went down to 47 degrees last night. I'll freak if I lose, even one orchid. I take good care of them, I love them and don't want to lose even one! Last year, if you remember, it went down into the 30's a couple of nights and then, I brought every single one inside. The thought of doing this again, is weighing heavy on my decision to just bring some in for a few months and keep them in...until it warms up, permanantly. I've now got about 15 Bulbo's and those, definitely have to come in.

So, NO to having problems in the past except for some sleepless nights, really!

[Sandy4453]

Originally Posted by Ross

Sandy, do you plan to leave these plants indoors permanently? Or even over the winter? Or is this just for those times the temps drop?

If it's the latter, you don't need lights. Even a week of dreary weather doesn't seem to bother any of mine.

If you plan to set up something more permanent, then you should be looking at light fixtures that will fit your growing rack shelves. You don't need really expensive High Output T5 lights, but they do a better job of lighting a large area. Home Depot "skinny tube" fixtures (t8) will work, you just need to place the plants pretty close to the tubes. I think HD has some complete setups available.

Ross, thanks for your response. I might as well get T5 instead of T8. I'm going to go into HD today and see what they offer. This is all so overwhelming for me but I need to do something because the weather is unpredictable. I might end up keeping the Bulbos inside or keeping them on the shadiest (year long) part of my patio and supplement with lighting, there. There's a section on the patio where, it won't get rained on and this space can be used with lighting and free up more space elsewhere for more orchids.

[Royal]

Sunday night our temps got down to about 35. My entire collection was outside. Phals, Bulbos, Dends, Cats, Stans, Epi, Enc, grownups and seedlings.

Last night it got down to 29. They all were moved into the shed under a light, but I left a mounted L. anceps out just to see how it does.

[Swamper]

LOL you're too funny. I'll tell you from my experience with just the vandas. They stay out there all year long. If it's in the 40s or even 50's with a 20mph wind from the NE or NW or straight N then I may lower some so the wood fence blocks the wind to avoid burns. I do the same with everything else I have but only cause ...how do I print tiny letters?...I don't really care what happens to them LOL and for the past 4 years I have never had one die or burn from cold. BTW even a night going under 40 wouldn't hurt, just keep it out of the wind plus low temps.


If you decide to bring them in for a day or 2 even a few more days so that you can sleep better, I doubt you would need new equipment. But I don't know anything at all about lights except that I hate my light bill.