Not sure if i have the right light for my phalaenopsis orchids.

[Newbee]

Hi, I am currently using 2 GE Plant Light Reflector kits 65w sitting about 8 inches from the top of my orchids.
Is this a good grow light for orchids or mostly for other house hold plants? I am also curious as to how far away they should be above the plants.

[WhiteRabbit]

[WhiteRabbit]

** moved thread to "Growing Under Lights" forum to hopefully get some replies **

[LovePhals]

Welcome to the forum! I don't know anything about the GE lights but I use an LED long light, that swivels, for the bottom rack for my orchids and it works very well. Do your phals have any tinges on the leaves from light levels. I usually go by if I am getting purple/ pink tinges in the leaves I am doing good!

[Newbee]

Hi, Thank you white rabbit for the bump and help getting some answers. LovePhals i'm not sure what "tinges" are my orchids have lots of air roots and ground roots, at least 5-7 leaves per plant. Everything is very green "no purple or pink" but they are slow to grow and are not flowering and i have had them for a year or longer. Thank you for taking time to help, it is very appreciated

[Ray]

Phalaenopsis are reasonably undemanding when it comes to light. Some of the best flowering phals I've ever seen were in a greenhouse SO covered in algae that you had to wait for your eyes to adjust when coming in from outdoors.

I doubt it's an issue, but if you can point us to your lights online, we may be able to help more.

Orchids tend to be fairly slow growers in the plant world, so a better description of just how slow you perceive it to be will help. We should also remember that their metabolisms can speed up with warmth, so it will depend, to some degree, on the growing temperatures.

As far as flowering, that might be temperature-related, as well. Some species - hence hybrids made with them - require a couple of weeks of a ten-, to fifteen degree drop in average growing temperature in order to initiate flower spikes. If they are grown at a more or less constant temperature all year, they may still do so, but it's less reliable.


Ray Barkalow
firstrays.com

[Newbee]

Ok, I can't post a pic or ULR of the lights i use, it won't let me. But if you go to google and search for GE Plant Light Reflector Kit 65 it will bring up the lights. I am curious what you think of them thanks

[camille1585]

These lights? Amazon.com: GE Lighting 44848 65-Watt Plant Light Reflector Kit with BR30 Light Bulb and Lamp: Home Improvement

Normally you need 5 posts before being able to post links or photos (I think this is an anti spammer measure)

[Newbee]

Yes, those are the ones

[naoki]

I don't have personal experience with this light, but it is likely to be really inefficient. At least, I don't know any efficient incandescent technology. Nothing is wrong with it; you'll be able to use it for orchids (if you don't mind of wasting a little extra electricity). I'm guessing that 2 of those 8" above the plants is at the high end for Phal hybrid (12-14h/day?). Probably 1 of them is good enough for a single Phal. I'll try to make a measurement of incandescent light when I get home tonight. When the light bulb blows (probably in about 5 months if you are doing 13h/day), you might want to replace it with CFL or LED bulb (e.g. something like this).