"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...
Ted Byers wrote:
[snip]
more efficient than twice as many shorter tubes. I find it interesting
that you suggest the compact fluorescents. I use a lot of them for
general purpose lighting, so I don't know why I've never considered it
for orchids...

Has anybody tried compact fluorescents for orchid growth? It is
quite an interesting idea. The cost has come down substantially (over

Yes, I am presently using them for this purpose. That is why I suggested
them. And my phals and a couple of my catts seem to like them well enough
to rebloom under them (even in a room where the only natural light comes in
through a north facing window), although my dends have yet to rebloom at
all. In fact, one of my phals, under this light, is presently in spike (but
the branches on the spike seem to have been about 15 cm for many months
now). There is certainly no indication that the phals aren't getting enough
light. And they're inexpensive enough to operate that I leave them on 12 to
14 hours a day. I have yet to see one burn out (but then I haven't had any
of them more than three years).

Cheers,

Ted