We're in a house now where the sun only comes into the plant stand area in
the winter. So 6 months a year they depend only on the grow light above.

I just got a nice new fixture with 3 T8 32 watt tubes instead of the two
40 watt T12's that used to be there. They even have a polished mirror
reflector, so they put down even more light. But the tubes I got with them
are purplish grow light tubes and the gloxinias are forming buds now but
then they shrivel away and don't bloom.

I think someone here awhile back was saying that these kinds of plants
need yellow to bloom? Should I replace one ( or two? ) of the grow lights
with a T8 warm white, that has yellow?



--
- Mama Bear

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

I see this sort of thing on my gloxinias that are outside in natural light so
I don't think it is related to the amount of yellow in the light. I think the
shriveling is caused by heat and/or low humidity. I have also observed that
there seems to be a critical period during the beginning of bud development
when the slightest lack of water will ruin the flower buds. Once the buds get
to be the size of a pea they seem to be somewhat resistant to my poor
watering.

--beeky



Mama Bear wrote:

We're in a house now where the sun only comes into the plant stand area in
the winter. So 6 months a year they depend only on the grow light above.

I just got a nice new fixture with 3 T8 32 watt tubes instead of the two
40 watt T12's that used to be there. They even have a polished mirror
reflector, so they put down even more light. But the tubes I got with them
are purplish grow light tubes and the gloxinias are forming buds now but
then they shrivel away and don't bloom.

I think someone here awhile back was saying that these kinds of plants
need yellow to bloom? Should I replace one ( or two? ) of the grow lights
with a T8 warm white, that has yellow?

--
- Mama Bear

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Mama Bear wrote:

wrote :


I see this sort of thing on my gloxinias that are outside in natural
light so I don't think it is related to the amount of yellow in the
light. I think the shriveling is caused by heat and/or low humidity.
I have also observed that there seems to be a critical period during
the beginning of bud development when the slightest lack of water
will ruin the flower buds. Once the buds get to be the size of a pea
they seem to be somewhat resistant to my poor watering.



It may vary then, but in this case it's not dryness or lack of water. They
used to bloom fine in the old house with some afternoon sun and in this
one with winter sun.

Don't Gloxinias need to go dormant at some point? I grew some from seed
(really, really tiny seed!) many years ago. I would grow mine for 9 or
10 months. Then they would start growing poorly and it was time to let
them go dormant. I would let them dry and after a while the leaves and
stems would dry leaving only the tuber (?). Two or 3 months later, I
would see little fuzzy growths starting. I would bring them back to the
light and water them. They would grow right up and bloom beautifully again.

Steve