Simple light solutions for temporary indoor growing?

[NewBloom]

This is my first winter growing orchids. My collection is mixed and small--17 plants--most are phals and all grown outdoors.

Our winter has arrived earlier and colder so I've had to bring in the phals often over the past 2 weeks. Several of them are in spike or are ready to bloom. Quite a few of the other plants are in growth and I'm concerned that moving the plants in and out for weeks at a time will disturb their progress. There's not enough natural light in the home.

I'd like to get a lighting set-up going and move the orchids to a small office for a few weeks. This is a temporary fix, so I want to keep the cost down and avoid an elaborate lighting system because I'd only use it one season a year.

I've been pouring over old threads and it seems like people use a variety of light sources. I'm confused.
I've even read that someone made their phal happy with a simple desk lamp and light bulb. If so, then I'm all over it.

Would a task lamp and household CFL bulb work?

I'm looking for a simple but effective solution for the lighting and humidity. Your advice is appreciated.

[Paul Mc]

I can't say if a task lamp or household CFL bulb would work, but I have discovered that the Daylight Bulbs you can buy from Home Depot or Lowes have the correct color spectrum needed for growing a lot of plants (and they are much cheaper than greenhouse bulbs). You might want to see if you can get these types of bulbs for that room - I don't know if they come in regular bulb sizes as opposed to florescent light bulbs.

You might want to consider getting a T8 or T5 bulb system from Lowes or Home Depot (they are relatively cheap) and setting it up in your "plant" room in such a way that it is temporary.

I would also suggest getting a timer put on whatever light source you get so you don't have to worry about forgetting to turn on the lights for your little ones.

[Connie Star]

I've set up simple systems with wire shelving units and 2 or 3 T5 bulbs strung together. I put aluminum foil above the lights to make a crude reflector. You can get the shelves from Lowes or Home Depot or Target- maybe $40-50. I ordered the T5 light strips on line because I could string them together.
This is a set-up I did with a tag sale shelf unit I got for $10
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...eflectors.html

[Connie Star]

Here's some pictures of my most recent set-up.

[NewBloom]

Connie,

Thanks for posting the pictures!Your phals look great. That watering can on the floor is calling me. I do use a small shelving 3 tier unit for the phals. What type of bulb did you use with the clip-on lights that are on each side of your tag sale shelf? Are those humidity trays that the plants are resting on? Do you grow indoors under lights on a permanent basis or is it a temporary fix? I take it that the string together type light strips aren't readily available at a home improvement store?

Paul,

I dashed to HD this morning and picked up some daylight CFL bulbs, only to find I already had some at home. (5500K, 1400L) I already had a timer that's CFL ready.

I glanced at the T5 and T12 bulb display but didn't have time to look for the other components needed for the setup. Honestly, if the task lamp with a daylight CFL can work, I'd rather go that route for the sake of simplicity. If an orchid guru tells me that it absolutely can't work, then I'll bite the bullet and McGuyver my way through with the T type lights.

Thanks for your feedback. Now it's time to look up lighting formulas...

[Connie Star]

Originally Posted by NewBloom

Connie,

Thanks for posting the pictures!Your phals look great. That watering can on the floor is calling me. I do use a small shelving 3 tier unit for the phals. What type of bulb did you use with the clip-on lights that are on each side of your tag sale shelf? Are those humidity trays that the plants are resting on? Do you grow indoors under lights on a permanent basis or is it a temporary fix? I take it that the string together type light strips aren't readily available at a home improvement store?

Paul,

I dashed to HD this morning and picked up some daylight CFL bulbs, only to find I already had some at home. (5500K, 1400L) I already had a timer that's CFL ready.

I glanced at the T5 and T12 bulb display but didn't have time to look for the other components needed for the setup. Honestly, if the task lamp with a daylight CFL can work, I'd rather go that route for the sake of simplicity. If an orchid guru tells me that it absolutely can't work, then I'll bite the bullet and McGuyver my way through with the T type lights.

Thanks for your feedback. Now it's time to look up lighting formulas...

The clip on lights are daylight CFLs. My son got them for an experiment with tomato plants. They only supplement the T5s.
I have the good fortune to have a 2-story south facing living room which is where I grow the plants, so the lights are for winter supplementation primarily.
The T5s are available on line and there are a couple of different manufacturers of light strips that can be daisy chained together- that is what I use. Agrosun is what I have. Here's alink T5 Fluorescent Grow Light Systems for Plants from ACF Greenhouses
First Rays also sells T5s and has a lot of information about lighting, wave lengths and stuff.
Here's a link to my living room- the orchids have definitely taken over.
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...h-10-2010.html

[camille1585]

CFLs can be used as a supplementary or primary source of light, and usually the high wattage ones (100W+) are your best choice. Or you would have to use several lower wattage ones. What are yours? No idea what 1400 lumens represents. Some people on the forum supplement orchids in a windowsill with 2-3 of those high W bulbs, while others use several of the smaller W bulbs to light terrariums for example. I use 55W power CFLs (instead of being coiled they're folded in half) and it's more than enough light!

In terms of temporary light fixtures, I would go the CFL route, you don't have long tubes and fixtures to find space to put away once you don't need them anymore.

[NewBloom]

Connie,

Thanks for the tip about the FirstRays site. I like how you grouped the similar colored blooms together. Is that by accident or did you seek out plants in the pink/purple family?

In terms of temporary light fixtures, I would go the CFL route, you don't have long tubes and fixtures to find space to put away once you don't need them anymore.

Camille, you read my mind. I have a CFL Daylight bulb with 100W output. I'll research if that's enough and at what distance I should place it. Lumens are a measure of light intensity.

Ah, the things we do for orchids.

[camille1585]

I know what lumens are, but wasn't sure how many watts that represents. The bulb you have is really good, but you may need a second one. I have some old threads on these bulbs in mind, and I'll try to find them for you.

[Paul Mc]

I didn't know if daylight bulbs or grow light bulbs were available in the sizes you needed as I have never sought them out. I'm glad to hear they are - that should save you some work! Best of luck - let us know how it turns out!