Can Orchids Grow Under Fluorescent Lights

Four key features for great growing results top shelf of the growing area with mounted and potted orchids winter in our house is a time of reckoning for phalaenopsis roots.

Can orchids grow under fluorescent lights.

The almost eerie gleam of fluorescent tubes seems far removed from the dynamic natural environment in which orchids have evolved. That said if adequate natural light is unavailable you could consider trying to grow your orchid under artificial fluorescent lighting if it s a phalaenopsis or paphiopedilum. Many people who grow orchids under lights use fluorescent grow lights. The top 4 of the orchid is rather purplish and the lower part is darker green.

You can place it in a heated garage in a basement or in a spare bedroom. A small warm growing area using fluorescent lights. These work better for low light orchids such as paphiopedilum hid lamps provide considerably more intensity and typically come in 250w 400w and 1000w sizes. When the orchids start to produce their tall orchid spikes there usually isn t enough head room under most fixed height light units to accommodate this growing spike.

However the height of our basement ceiling the number of new units necessary to light our growing area the cost of the change and other factors precludes our switching from fluorescent lights. Either choose ones that match natural sunlight color temperature of 6500k or use ones marketed as grow lights. You may have some difficulty as i did accepting the fact that orchids can be grown successfully under artificial light. I ve seen this with a small vandaceous orchid that winters with my phalaenopsis under fluorescent lights.

They can be used alone or to supplement natural lighting in indoor orchid care such as if there s a big shade tree outside the window. The light source since we began growing orchids under lights a number of light sources other than fluorescent tubes have become available. Fluorescent lights come in a variety of color temperatures. Use a fluorescent light system if your home lacks sufficient bright light for orchids.

With fluorescent grow lights it can be hard to get enough intensity for high light plants but you can try to compensate by setting the lighting timer to more than 12 hours per day. They come in two types metal halide and high pressure sodium. The first type of recommended bulb is fluorescent tubes.