So I have a bunch of primary hybrids, Phrag Leslie garay, Zapatilla de la virgen, then some bessaea hybrids. What do yall recommend for lighting as far as fc? I'm trying around 2000-2500 fc? Too little?
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Average fc for phrags?
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Natural sunlight or artificial light? Hours per day?
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I don't believe that you can group all Phrags together under the same light levels.
You have cooler growing, moisture loving Phrags like besseae, schlimii, etc that would take much less light. I grow Phrag. pearcei the same way. I just grow them under medium bright light for maybe 10 hours a day. I have all of the above 8-10 inches below the light tubes. I want them to be a slightly darker green in terms of leaf color.
Things like sargentianum, kovachii, get a bit more light. Not by more hours but I move them closer to the light source.
I give things like Phragmipedium caudatum the most light. Light levels closer to what Cattleyas like. All of my Phrags go outside from mid May to late September in appropriate light levels.
You can't look up on a list and find Phragmipedium schlimii, um let me see, 8 hours of light, sun from 10am to 2pm, then just bright for the remaining 4 hours. It doesn't work that way as much as you or I might like it to. You have to grow them, see how they do. You have to be able to evaluate how they are responding to different conditions. So much of orchid grow is observation and understanding. And that takes time Drewm.
You will find other opinions hopefully. Just give them time to respond.
In the meantime say you want to grow besseae. There is tons of suggestions on line. Read everything. Take notes, you will get a sense of just how they grow in nature. Then see if you can match those conditions. If you are sure that you can, try one. If at all doubtful, try something else.
You have cooler growing, moisture loving Phrags like besseae, schlimii, etc that would take much less light. I grow Phrag. pearcei the same way. I just grow them under medium bright light for maybe 10 hours a day. I have all of the above 8-10 inches below the light tubes. I want them to be a slightly darker green in terms of leaf color.
Things like sargentianum, kovachii, get a bit more light. Not by more hours but I move them closer to the light source.
I give things like Phragmipedium caudatum the most light. Light levels closer to what Cattleyas like. All of my Phrags go outside from mid May to late September in appropriate light levels.
You can't look up on a list and find Phragmipedium schlimii, um let me see, 8 hours of light, sun from 10am to 2pm, then just bright for the remaining 4 hours. It doesn't work that way as much as you or I might like it to. You have to grow them, see how they do. You have to be able to evaluate how they are responding to different conditions. So much of orchid grow is observation and understanding. And that takes time Drewm.
You will find other opinions hopefully. Just give them time to respond.
In the meantime say you want to grow besseae. There is tons of suggestions on line. Read everything. Take notes, you will get a sense of just how they grow in nature. Then see if you can match those conditions. If you are sure that you can, try one. If at all doubtful, try something else.
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I grow my Phrags in east/southeast/southwest light. I have a few LED lights I added at the end of the winter because it was kind of dark. I won’t speak to those because they haven’t been there very long.
Honestly, I give my plants as much as light as I can… if the leaves get too light, I will move them around. I think you have to experiment; there are so many variables. I wouldn’t be discouraged away from a certain phragmipedium though… experiment, and if it doesn’t make it, learn from the experience and try again!
Honestly, I give my plants as much as light as I can… if the leaves get too light, I will move them around. I think you have to experiment; there are so many variables. I wouldn’t be discouraged away from a certain phragmipedium though… experiment, and if it doesn’t make it, learn from the experience and try again!
Artificial, for about 14 hrs a day
Oh ok good info, so less light w the bessaea hybrids?
Ok cool yea that's what I'm doing at the moment thanks for the info! I'm guessing burned at the tips a tiny tiny bit is ok?
mwong9440
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Oh perfect yea so basically same plants. Guessing Ecuagenera?
Do you know what footcandles that equates to?
And how often are you watering?
Thanks!
mwong9440
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I give under 5k FC n mine continuously sits in water
What lights do u use? I have Barrina but I have to use a ton to get to 2500, so yours are prbly around 4k?
mwong9440
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Same brand sorry read wrong 5k lux
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Oh wow, I'm using a lotttt more. Have u had these plants for a while?
mwong9440
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2-3 years. Most bloom annually by seasons
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That may be fertilizer burn if it’s at the tips…
Ok thanks so much, v helpful
Yea I think I did burn a bit last week w fertilizer, good idea
mwong9440
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I don't use any fertilizer
Wow that's cool, so many different ways of growing these it seems. That's neat
How are you measuring 2500 FC from Barrína leds?
And of that is your light intensity for 14 hours you are probably wasting a lot of electricity by providing more light than the plants need in a day.
And of that is your light intensity for 14 hours you are probably wasting a lot of electricity by providing more light than the plants need in a day.
