Orchid Care OrchidTalk Orchid Forum Links Nursery

Welcome to OrchidTalk Orchid Forums


The Friendliest Orchid Community on the Internet!


  •  » Learn to Repot your Orchids
  •  » Learn Orchid Care Tips and Secrets
  •  » Find the perfect Orchid for your Growing Environment
  •  » Chat with Orchid Growing Professionals

OrchidTalk - "Bringing People Together to Grow Orchids Better!"


Let us help you grow your Orchids better; Join our community today.


YES! I want to register an account for free right now!


Register or Login now to remove this advertisement.

Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: New Grow Area

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size
  1. #1
    Real Name
    Sara
    My Grow Area
    Under Lights
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Gender
    Female
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    53

    Default New Grow Area

    Hi All!

    I just moved my plants from Florida to Michigan, and obviously I needed to learn to grow indoors. I got some fluorescents and here is my new set-up. It's been up for only a few days, so I'm sort of watching and waiting to see if my plants will be happy or if they need more/less light. Currently the temp is between 65 and 70, and the humidity doesn't hit 50%. I definitely need to kick the heat and humidity up a bit, but don't know how to do that without cranking the heat up in the house and sweating it out for my plants (which I would probably do if it weren't for the cost of heating...). I'm hoping to get some suggestions from indoor growers here to get an ideal climate going, because after the bugs and the slugs I encountered in Florida, I don't want to have my plants outdoors ever again. Any ideas are appreciated!! THANKS.

    ~Sara

    Name:  IMG_1545.JPG
Views: 700
Size:  139.4 KB

  2. #2
    My Grow Area
    Windowsill
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Dendrobium, Cattleya
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    5,021
    Member's Country Flag

    Default

    65-70 is alright. In fact a lot of orchids need cooler then that to trigger flowering. You could try putting some mesh pots or mesh vegetable bags filled with pressed sphagnum in your tent. Just keep it moist. Be sure to have a small fan going both to keep your plants healthy and avoid black mold on your walls and carpet.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Gender
    Male
    Posts
    7

    Default

    here in Israel i keep my orchids out thru the winter with night temp around 40 to 55. Occasionally the temp would drop bellow 40 so i take them indoors. They survive well, and by end of February when it gets little warmer they start growing again

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Posts
    3

    Default

    I grow in my basement with a 600w mh light and several t5's with 3k warm bulbs. I grow in northern MN welcome to the frozen tundra.
    Posted via Mobile Device

  5. #5
    My Grow Area
    Windowsill
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Dendrobium, Cattleya
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    5,021
    Member's Country Flag

    Default

    Something else I just noticed. I don't know what type of lights you have on your stand but unless there is another source, your plants are not getting enough light. You may want to take the shade cloth off the shelves and move everyone up.

  6. #6
    Real Name
    Harvey
    My Grow Area
    Under Lights
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    1-Neo falcata,2-Phal,3-Paph
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Littleton, Colorado
    Posts
    6,039
    Member's Country Flag

    Default

    I agree with Chris. That is not enough light for orchid success.

  7. #7
    Real Name
    Sara
    My Grow Area
    Under Lights
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Gender
    Female
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    53

    Default

    Thanks for the advice everyone!

    These are the lights I am using...4 bulbs over each of the two shelves (8 in total). I'm new at this and am so afraid of burning my plants!! Knowing what I'm using, should I still move them up/remove shade cloth or add some additional lights? If I add lights, should they be fluorescent or incandescents? Feeling a little overwhelmed over here!

    Thanks

    Name:  IMG_1551.JPG
Views: 530
Size:  140.1 KB

  8. #8
    Real Name
    Harvey
    My Grow Area
    Under Lights
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    1-Neo falcata,2-Phal,3-Paph
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Littleton, Colorado
    Posts
    6,039
    Member's Country Flag

    Default

    I am doing well with Phals and Paphs under T5, 4 tube, 2 foot fixtures. I have Catts and Encyclias and Oncidiums under 8 tube T5 4 foot fixtures.

  9. #9
    Real Name
    Sara
    My Grow Area
    Under Lights
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Gender
    Female
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    53

    Default

    Oh good! How far from your orchids are the lights?

  10. #10
    Real Name
    Harvey
    My Grow Area
    Under Lights
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    1-Neo falcata,2-Phal,3-Paph
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Littleton, Colorado
    Posts
    6,039
    Member's Country Flag

    Default

    For the Phal's and Paphs 6- 8 inches above and for the others that is harder to say. It is high enough to allow all the orchids below several inches at the top of their leaves, but the fixture ends up about 2 feet above the 'ground'.

Similar Threads

  1. New bie with Grow area
    By k_andreev in forum OrchidTalk Members Grow Area - Photos
    Replies: 55
    Last Post: December 5th, 2013, 08:23 PM
  2. my grow area
    By lakshmanamoorthy in forum OrchidTalk Members Grow Area - Photos
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: May 24th, 2013, 04:06 AM
  3. My little grow area 2/10/13
    By gerardhp1998 in forum OrchidTalk Members Grow Area - Photos
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: February 10th, 2013, 12:49 PM
  4. My Grow Area's
    By smwboxer in forum OrchidTalk Members Grow Area - Photos
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: February 7th, 2010, 07:18 AM
  5. grow area
    By tabobong in forum OrchidTalk Members Grow Area - Photos
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: April 28th, 2009, 01:07 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
OrchidTalk --An Orchid Growers Discussion Forum brought to you by River Valley Orchidworks. A World Community where orchid beginners and experts talk about orchids and share tips on their care, cultivation, and propagation.