Growing Neofinetia under lights
 

Hi! This is my first winter indoors with my Neofinetia falcata 'Kisuzume'. I'll be growing it under T5 lights. For those of you that grow under lights, how far do you keep you Neos below the lights?

Growing Neofinetia under lights
 

I am experimenting with some of my Neofinetia this winter, growing under LED lights. I have a dozen Neofinetia, a dozen miniature Pleurothallis, and a dozen Paphiopedelium that are growing under lights. The lamps are a foot above the plants. These have been under lights for three weeks. The only difference I can tell is the leaf color--leaves are turning a brighter green color.

Wintering Neofinetia means they get as much bright light as possible. Even with the artificial light, my Neofinetia are in front of a western glass brick wall. When the sun shines it gets very bright. I am also now watering sparingly--only dampening the moss slightly. And I'm running an oscillating fan to keep the air moving.

I have most of the Neos in windows but have had the odd one under LEDs.

I have used household LEDs (10.5W) and Ray's. The plants have sat 6 inches or so under the lights. The high anthrocyanin plants got very dark red (not burnt) but reverted back quickly, the greens stayed green.

Comparative note: currently, I have a Furan next to a Schoenorchis (not fragrans) at about the same height. The Furan is still green, Schoenorchis has some red blushing.

ETA: They are usually under the lights for 12-14 hours.

AnonYMouse can you comment about Ray's LED? I'm considering getting another lamp and was thinking about Ray's.

This is my first year growing under lights. I have my neos under T5HO, four bulb four ft lamp. The lights are about 6 inches above the top leaves of the larger one and the neostylis. I have my lights on for fourteen hours.

I like that they are a flat array but harder to find a lamp that works with them. I'm following in the footsteps of others using articulated desk lamps sans shade. I need to go to the hardware store to think up a better set up.

One of my L. telipogoniflora is under the LEDs and is flowering at the same rate as the two by the window (18" from the glass). I keep moving it around, trying to get the intensity right (some of the leaves are red).

The other LED plants are growing as would be expected with natural light. I'll try to leave them in their current location through winter and spring and see how they fair.

I used the cheap Ikea Tertial work lamp (not sold in California) minus shade and added a Y socket adapter so I can use 2 of Ray's LEDs in one lamp. It would fit better if I also used a socket extender before the Y adapter, but I was able to mess with the threaded nut on the switch to make it fit.

TERTIAL Work lamp - IKEA

I'm just using this lamp as supplemental light for a part of my grow space that isn't well covered by a 250W 6500K CFL lamp and for part of the day swivel it to about 8 inches above a few Neos that like higher light.

I also use one of Ray's lights above a table of Phals and they seem happy with it.

They are sold in the stores here. They add a cheap CFL to comply with state law. (I hate CFLs so off-loaded them at Goodwill.)

That's good to know. At one point a year or so ago they weren't, because of the unintended consequences of CA law.

EDIT: Hmmm, checking via the website for each of the CA locations (can you tell I have too much free time?), it still says it's not sold at those locations.

I found them when I was there for other stuff (they have so much other stuff). Probably just easier for corporate to say that online. Imagine, NJ people complaining CA gets free bulbs (lighten up, NJ).

I have been accused of being a tree hugger (it's all relative) but this law and the bag ban annoy me.

End of threadjack.

So, yeah, 6 inches away.