What do yall think of this stand?

[leslieann79]

Im currently a novice windowsill grower and I'm thinking of growing under lights. What do you think of this stand for a beginner? I hope not to have a huge collection so this size seems good. Also what kind of bulbs would you recommend for mostly phalaenopsis growing? Thanks

G22A Compact Lite Cart Aluminum | Indoor Gardening Supplies

[bellini girl]

to OB. You should also check those aluminum shelves from Home Depot, Lowes , even Costco.. Some have 4 tiers and room for quite a few plants.

[billc]

$204.00 seems rather pricey. But it does hsve nice looking trays. The racks Lecent referred to are about $80.00 and you can purchase them in various lengths. Do a search on wire shelves. If you plan on only phals T8 florescent bulbs will do the trick.
Buy one bigger than you think, they somehow always manage to get filled up.

Bill

[jeremyinsf]

I would spend less money on a cart/stand/shelving (but still get something of quality for $80-$100) and invest the difference in better quality lights and reflectors.

I do agree with Bill about getting more space than you need. Be careful of the chase though... more space means more orchids, and then when it's full you need more space... and on and on!

[leslieann79]

So this is what we went with. There are four 32 watt bulbs on each shelf. One cool and one warm. I dont know if this will be enough light for the dendrobiums and catt's. Please give any advice or critique you can think of. Also what should I line the shelves with to keep water out of the light fixtures and where can I get reflective stuff? Thanks.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

The stand does look great, but it is pricy. I actually like your version quite a lot, we used to have these in our warehouse and they are long lasting. I would personally hang drip tray under the shelve itself in between the shelve and light, it should be easy to get some drip tray and hooks and just hang it there, so it can be removed anytime and cleaned, and that would be it:-)

[seaj]

If that were my stand, I would surely fill up all the extra space with more plants! The phals should do well with that much light, but your dendrobiums and cattleyas will most likely need more light to bloom reliably. With dendrobiums and cattleyas the go-to fluorescents are high output T5 bulbs. Each one probably puts out twice as much light at a standard T8, but they use 54 watt each. If you have a large window, it would be helpful to place the stand as close to it as possible that way you can rely less on the grow lights. Plants that only get light from light fixtures generally need at least 12 to 16 hours of light, so costs do add up over time. With a set up like yours, it would cost me nearly $200 a year to keep it lit for 16 hours a day, though it may cost you less/more depending on your electricity rates. To make the most of your light, you may want to get creative with reflective materials like mylar to bounce as much light back on to your plants. Fluorescent bulbs send light in every direction, so much of it does get lost without good quality reflectors. If you have short plants and tall plants on the same shelf, you can raise up the shorter ones by placing the pots on top of anything sturdy. Light intensity diminishes drastically, so every inch between the plants and the bulbs counts.

Here are some ideas for trays. Metro racks spill trays

[leslieann79]

I got 6 more orchids today to fill up the space. All phal's. Two mini's from an orchid greenhouse (they weren't labeled) and some clearance no id's from lowes. (I couldnt resist at 3 bucks). One of the lowe's one was labeled. Dtps Lainher Happy Dancer. The Lowe's ones were in bad shape, but not as bad as I expected! Wish me luck.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by leslieann79

So this is what we went with. There are four 32 watt bulbs on each shelf. One cool and one warm. I dont know if this will be enough light for the dendrobiums and catt's.

It should do fine for most catts and dens, though there are a few that require VERY high/intense light. The one alteration you may need to make will be with regards to distance from the light source. Most catts, IME, will want to be very close to the bulbs -- as in with the leaves almost touching them. Fortunately, this is very easy to rectify even when you have an assortment of plants of differing heights. Simple set the plant(s) in question on top of an upside down pot or other object to raise that particular plant closer to the light source.

Originally Posted by leslieann79

Also what should I line the shelves with to keep water out of the light fixtures and where can I get reflective stuff? Thanks.

Drip trays, as was suggested, should work well.

Reflectivity-wise, the white walls behind the stand should be sufficient. If mylar is needed at somepoint, I would suggest checking an arts & crafts store like Michaels or JoAnn Fabrics.


Now that you have all that empty space, I'm going to "help you out". heh Most shows happen around the same time each year. So you should keep your eyes open for
Alamo Orchid Society Show - San Antonio, TX - Mar 08, 2013

As that was last year's date, you may want to check with
The Alamo Orchid Society helps people in San Antonio, Texas, and the Hill Country enjoy orchids.

[leslieann79]

Yeah this morning I put the Catt on top of a pot so its almost touching the lights. We lined the shelves with some reflective window film and then we put the pots in little "humidity trays" This is what it looks like now. The shelf is caddy corner to a window so I open it. There isnt much natural light to be had this time of year but it can't hurt.