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One light fits all.
According to the Ultimate Orchid (by AOS), "In general, most genera will
grow well at light levels between 2,400 and 3,000 foot-candles." Although most people say phal does better at 900 to 1200 foot-candles, I wonder if it will do well at 2,400 to 3,000 foot-candles? |
On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 05:00:02 GMT in Don Quixote wrote:
According to the Ultimate Orchid (by AOS), "In general, most genera will grow well at light levels between 2,400 and 3,000 foot-candles." Although most people say phal does better at 900 to 1200 foot-candles, I wonder if it will do well at 2,400 to 3,000 foot-candles? Remember that a light that produces 3000 foot-candles at distance x will provide approximately 900 foot-candles at approximately 1.8 times distance x. The 2400 fc light will produce approximately 1200 fc at 1.4 times distance x. If the Phals think it's too bright, you can just move the light further away. -- Chris Dukes Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil |
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This brings up a question I've been wondering...
The intensity certainly plays a role, but what about the duration of the intensity? In other words, is 16 hours per day at 1500 fc the same to a plant as 12 hrs per day at 2000 fc (16 x 1500 = 12 x 2000)? I know many plants including orchids want a certain amount of time in light and time without light, but I am not sure if the above example would make a difference. Larry wrote in message rg... On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 05:00:02 GMT in Don Quixote wrote: According to the Ultimate Orchid (by AOS), "In general, most genera will grow well at light levels between 2,400 and 3,000 foot-candles." Although most people say phal does better at 900 to 1200 foot-candles, I wonder if it will do well at 2,400 to 3,000 foot-candles? Remember that a light that produces 3000 foot-candles at distance x will provide approximately 900 foot-candles at approximately 1.8 times distance x. The 2400 fc light will produce approximately 1200 fc at 1.4 times distance x. If the Phals think it's too bright, you can just move the light further away. -- Chris Dukes Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil |
The duration of the intensity does make a difference, else commercial
growers (like those in Taiwan, for example) could not 'force' their crop to maturity in a short span of time. Herb Hager wrote a great article on increasing light in order to bring his cattleya crosses to bloom in 2 1/2 years out of flask by supplying high light, high heat and supporting the plant with high humidity and the proper fertilization regimen. If you read Dr Yin-Tung Wang's research carefully you'll discover these same methods were used to develop the phalaenopsis market. But you can't just do this piecemeal, you have to support the plant wiht the concomittant increases in water, humidity, fertilizer etc, that requires knowledge/expertise/consistency on the part of someone growing these orchids. A friend of mine (very successful in his own right) maintains that a plant is merely a chemical equation, if you supply high light and neglect the other parts of the equation (leaving them the same) your plant will suffer and die. If you increase light and increase supply in all other factors in the proper amount, the plants will flourish. As I say, its been what has driven the pot plant industry world-wide. So 10,000 nurserymen can't be wrong. It only remains for *you* to be able to control all factors. Something a hobbyist is usually unable to do in a consistent basis. One misstep and you've screwed the pooch. Also, I thik once you sit down and start writing out what consitutes 'all' in the above sentence you can readily see that there are factors, physical/ limiting/ specific, that are practically unknowable to someone who also has a life. Its easier to grow them under natural conditions. Letting God do the hard thinking. K Barrett "Larry" wrote in message .. . This brings up a question I've been wondering... The intensity certainly plays a role, but what about the duration of the intensity? In other words, is 16 hours per day at 1500 fc the same to a plant as 12 hrs per day at 2000 fc (16 x 1500 = 12 x 2000)? I know many plants including orchids want a certain amount of time in light and time without light, but I am not sure if the above example would make a difference. Larry wrote in message rg... On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 05:00:02 GMT in Don Quixote wrote: According to the Ultimate Orchid (by AOS), "In general, most genera will grow well at light levels between 2,400 and 3,000 foot-candles." Although most people say phal does better at 900 to 1200 foot-candles, I wonder if it will do well at 2,400 to 3,000 foot-candles? Remember that a light that produces 3000 foot-candles at distance x will provide approximately 900 foot-candles at approximately 1.8 times distance x. The 2400 fc light will produce approximately 1200 fc at 1.4 times distance x. If the Phals think it's too bright, you can just move the light further away. -- Chris Dukes Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil |
On Sat, 2 Apr 2005 08:41:19 -0800, "K Barrett"
wrote: The duration of the intensity does make a difference, else commercial growers (like those in Taiwan, for example) could not 'force' their crop to maturity in a short span of time. Herb Hager wrote a great article on increasing light in order to bring his cattleya crosses to bloom in 2 1/2 years out of flask by supplying high light, high heat and supporting the plant with high humidity and the proper fertilization regimen. If you read Dr Yin-Tung Wang's research carefully you'll discover these same methods were used to develop the phalaenopsis market. But you can't just do this piecemeal, you have to support the plant wiht the concomittant increases in water, humidity, fertilizer etc, that requires One of the Denver Judges moved from Texas (outdoor growing) to Colorado and had to build a Gh. While building she kept her plants going with extremely long lighting. Some were almost 24/7. I don't remember how short the "night" became but it was not significant, except to the plant. SuE http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php |
"Susan Erickson" wrote in message
... On Sat, 2 Apr 2005 08:41:19 -0800, "K Barrett" wrote: The duration of the intensity does make a difference, else commercial growers (like those in Taiwan, for example) could not 'force' their crop to maturity in a short span of time. Herb Hager wrote a great article on increasing light in order to bring his cattleya crosses to bloom in 2 1/2 years out of flask by supplying high light, high heat and supporting the plant with high humidity and the proper fertilization regimen. If you read Dr Yin-Tung Wang's research carefully you'll discover these same methods were used to develop the phalaenopsis market. But you can't just do this piecemeal, you have to support the plant wiht the concomittant increases in water, humidity, fertilizer etc, that requires One of the Denver Judges moved from Texas (outdoor growing) to Colorado and had to build a Gh. While building she kept her plants going with extremely long lighting. Some were almost 24/7. I don't remember how short the "night" became but it was not significant, except to the plant. SuE http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php I know the dope producers keep their plants going at 24/7. You'd think the plant would need a 'dark reaction' time. But I guess not. Lord knows those boys know more about producing buds than anyone else on the planet. K |
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