Some hundred years ago, few specialists could grow orchids. Now they are not uncommon for many flower growers. And every year there are hundreds of new varieties available for cultivation in apartments and private houses.
But subject to certain conditions. Including the creation of optimal illumination.
Those who are still poorly acquainted with orchids have lost a lot. And you need to catch up on your knowledge about them:
- There is not a single plant in nature with such diversity. More than 30 thousand species;
- In the National Orchid Park in Singapore, its visitors have the opportunity to see 60,000 specimens ;
- Age is hard to imagine. Millions of years. They have been admired for the last 3-4 thousand years. And presented as an expensive and exquisite gift;
- Under natural conditions, they grow mainly in tropical areas. Mountains and forests :
- America;
- Africa;
- Australia;
- Southeast Asia.
- Ideal climate for them:
- Very frequent tropical rains;
- Hot climate;
- An abundance of light and sun.Orchid lighting option.
Proper lighting for orchids Growth
Let’s find out which fitolamp is suitable for orchids at home. In the tropics, daylight hours last quite a long time (12-14 hours). In our area in the winter, around 5 p.m. it is already dark. It’s still dark at 7 am. This darkness does not allow many species to grow and bloom :
- Chlorophyll (the green pigment in orchid leaves) converts sunlight into energy needed by the plant. And forms glucose and other organic compounds. Vital for plants:
- Chlorophyll A (blue-green) is most active at short blue wavelengths and long red light wavelengths. Chlorophyll B is involved only in the collection of sunlight;
- Normal lighting allows you to absorb blue waves throughout the daylight hours. Peak at lunchtime. There are no red waves at lunchtime. Only morning and evening.
- What kind of light should be provided to the orchid? The human eye sees light ranging from purple to red . 380-780 nm;
- Orchids prefer light with blue (short) and red (long) wavelengths;
Note! A lamp bright for our eyes can be very weak for a plant. And weak for our perception – the most suitable for an orchid.
The best options for providing these flowers with the necessary light:
- You can install each lamp separately:
- Turn on blue for daylight. This affects the creation of green mass;
- Red – with the advent of darkness. They affect flowering more.
Combined appliances allow you to get by with one. Experts will advise you.
Not everyone needs the same amount of light. So are orchids. It all depends on the conditions of their residence:
For each orchid, you need to choose a certain type of lighting.
Some varieties love a lot of light and southern windows. And they demand it:
- Oncidium;
- brassavalia;
- Vanda;
Give them about 30,000 lux.
There are lovers of shady places. Can be placed on windows from the north, northeast and northwest sides:
- Dracula;
- Masdevallia;
- Phalaenopsis;
- Cattleya;
15,000 lux is enough for them.
Moderate lighting on the east windows suits some views quite well :
- Dendrobium;
- Oncidium;
- Brassia.
Flower growers regulate the duration of artificial lighting . And they suggest:
- Total time – 10-12 hours a day;
- For many orchids, additional lighting will be required from October to March:
- The same illumination is sufficient in spring and autumn;
- As well as orchids grown on the east and west sides.
Installing lamps on the windowsill allows you to turn on the lighting at dusk;
Constantly (about 12 hours) they do this:
- If the flowers are installed away from the windows;
Flowers are on the northern window sills.
Important:
- Excessive artificial lighting brings little benefit. The leaves may turn a little. What is unacceptable in winter;
- The same leaves can tell the lack of light. Their dark green color with a blue tint is evidence of this;
- And the cost of electricity for you to consider.
Power and types of backlight lamps for orchid
What light is suitable for orchids at home? The required amount of light , its intensity and duration, our scientists and experts calculated:
- Means of illumination should not be heating . The total power of fluorescent lamps is 100-120 watts. And you do not need to “by eye” determine the power of lighting. After all, there is a marking on the lamp;
- It is difficult to find a consensus between the distance of a lamp and its luminous efficiency for numerous species of orchids. But you must do it. Even with your hand, you should not feel heat at a distance of 10 cm from the lamp.
Important! Here is an example of the lighting power of two 40 W fluorescent lamps in a luminaire with a reflector:
- 7000 lux – 5 cm away from the plant;
- 5200 lux – 10 cm;
- 3000 lux – 20 cm;
- 1700 lux – 50 cm.
This helps to determine the means of highlighting orchids. But few people do the calculations:
- Both beginners and experienced flower growers try to purchase fluorescent or LED lamps;
- They do not advise using a conventional energy-saving lamp. The only exceptions are if you have several orchids;
- Special phytolamps are in special demand. If you have a solid collection, and the backlight itself should match it.
Phytolamps provide the orchid with ultraviolet rays.
All types of Grow Lights For Orchids
There are many different lamps for lighting a flower. How to choose the right one for an orchid?
Energy saving lamps (CFL)
- Their advantages over conventional incandescent lamps are obvious:
- Energy consumption is 4-5 times less. And the return is higher;
- Large warranty periods of service;
- Security is higher. Short circuits are rare.
- Fitolamps are produced and offered with different spectra :
- Blue;
- Red.
- Developers and manufacturers promise :
- Only 20% of heat energy is spent on heat;
- And 80% – to the light.
- They can be placed from plants no closer than 3 cm ;
- Models (manufacturers):
- MaxGrow;
- smart light;
- greenbud;
- Megaman.
Orchid lamps should not get hot.Please note:
- The size of the base can be as standard E27. and smaller – E14;
- Warm tones (closer to yellow) – below 4000 K. When flowering;
- Daylight – 4000-6440K. Universal;
- Cold tones (close to blue) – more than 6500 K. During the growing season.
Fluorescent
- Gases (often mercury) due to the coating of lamps with a luminoform provide ultraviolet rays :
- LB (white color);
- LD (day color);
- LDC (day color with improved color rendering).
- Shades 33, 840 and 865 suitable for highlighting orchids;
- Manufacturers :
- Philips;
- Osram.
- Models :
- T8 (diameter 26 mm);
- T5 (diameter 16 mm).
Halogen Grow light for orchid
- Metal halide devices are also called gas discharge . This is for plants almost the same incandescent lamps. But improved and more expensive;
- Their shapes and color spectrum are varied . But for plants (and orchids), purchase special models; Many amateur gardeners use backlighting for orchids.
- White-blue models :
- Sunmaster Leuchtmittel Wuchs 600W;
- Greenbud MH:
- 250W;
- 400W;
- 600W.
Mercury gas discharge
- The principle of their work, as well as luminescent;
- But the marking is different; Mercury discharge lamps work on the same principle as fluorescent lamps.
- You need a glow temperature from 3.200 to 4.200 K ;
- There are also sodium gas discharge lamps. Low and high pressure.
LED
- LED (Led lamps) are most in demand among orchid lovers;
- What attracts :
- Profitability;
- Long service life;
- Environmental Safety;
- Resistance to temperatures, mechanical stress;
- Without ultraviolet radiation.
- Experts see combined instances as optimal . They already have both red and blue light. 8/1 or 5/1 you choose.
Experts consider lamps to be the most effective for orchids of all types :
- For flowering :
- Sylvania 250W, HPS-TS 400W;
- Osram Nav-N 250W, 400W, 600W, 1000W;
- Philips Son T-plus 400 W, 600 W;
- Greenbud HPS 400W, 600W, 1000W;
- GIB Lighting Flower Specter HPS 250W, 400W,600W.
- For vegetation :
- Sylvania Growlux 400W, 600W;
- Osram Planta Star 400W, 600W;
- Philips Son T-Agro 400W;
- Philips HPI-T 250W, 400W, 1000W.
LED strips
Now on Aliexpress you can order a 1 meter long LED strip for a few dollars, with different combinations of blue and red LEDs. To remove heat, it can be glued to the aluminum threshold for linoleum joints. You will also need a 12 volt power supply, which is desirable to order with a current margin of at least 0.4A.
For some reason, the “flimsy” 100 mA PSUs offered by the seller stopped working after 2-3 weeks of use, after that I ordered a 0.4A PSU (it is already so solid in the form of a rectangular box, like a laptop charger), I think with it there will be no problems.
Bicolor and full spectrum Grow lamps For Orchids
For a novice florist, from the proposed assortment and names of phytolamps in the head, not everything will immediately decompose. Why so many views , if you just need to supplement the lighting?
Let’s try to figure it out. Base E27 (regular):
- Bicolor (two-color):
- With red (660 Nm) and blue (450 Nm) sectors;
- For illumination during the growing season;
- It can be used more as a light additive. Bicolor lamps.
- Full spectrum (Full Spektrum – full spectrum):
- Very wide range. But the maximum peaks are in the blue and red spectra;
- Its effect is comparable to that of the sun; Full spectrum.
- Provides light at any stage of development. Even without natural light.
- There is a lamp Multispectrum :
- To stimulate flowering and fruiting;
- Has shades of red and white.
- The power of such lamps :
- 15 W – with 5 LEDs;
- 36 W – with 12 LEDs.
Installation hacks for Grow light for orchid
The installation of phytolamps depends on the number of orchids you grow. Their placement is important.
- An office lamp is enough for a small window sill. Or a free-standing table with several orchids;
- Fluorescent lamps are effective for 10-15 undersized orchids . They can be fixed on the window frame. Or each shelf of a rack with orchids. Used for lighting equipment from the ceiling; It is necessary to install lamps so that they illuminate the flowers well.
- Illumination of the winter garden and greenhouse must be planned thoroughly . Discharge lamps with good power (at least 250 W). They are used for lighting equipment from the ceiling;
- And how much simplicity and convenience from portable lamps of small sizes. Pulled the plug from one outlet. And stuck it in another. No need to pick up a drill and plugs under it. And what a beauty!
Other types of light for orchid
The closer you live to the North Pole, the more you need orchid lighting . In the tropics, such beauties do without artificial lights.
incandescent
- What can an ordinary 100 W incandescent bulb give? She highlights:
- Light about 2%;
- Heat almost 98%. Incandescent lamp.
- Placing directly with a lamp may result in scorching of orchid leaves ;
- Remove further – the light will not be enough;
- Better to turn it off completely.
ultraviolet
An ultraviolet lamp may come in handy … For other purposes. Warming up the back …
UV lamp for reptiles from Aliexpress.
UV light can be :
- In the range from 315 to 400 Nm. It is not enough for photosynthesis . Harmless to plants;
- Range from 280 to 315 Nm. Such rays disrupt the DNA of plants;
- Range from 100 to 280 Nm. Plants stop growing. They may also die.
Should I experiment with such lamps with orchids? I would not advise. If there are others. Obvious.
DIY Grow light for orchid
Do-it -yourself backlight installation will be much cheaper . What will the experts do?
It all depends :
- How many orchids should be provided with lighting;
- What do you have available;
- Elementary knowledge in handling electrical appliances;
- The availability of funds for this;
- At one time, amateur radio was very popular. They even made stereo tape recorders with a soldering iron. And now there are. There are fewer of them. But conditions are better for creative thought.
An orchid, in addition to lighting, must be provided with humidity and air circulation.
The most favorable price
So I wanted to offer such phytolamps from domestic ones … Maybe we haven’t had time to turn in this direction yet? But the direction is very promising!
Phytolamp Green Power is considered one of the cheapest.
But China is doing well. And many phytolamps are offered by them. And pretty good quality .
- Phytolamp Green Power (made in China). Power from 5 to 54 W. Cost from 130 to 1300 UAH;
- LED phytolamp SL-036W IP65 linear up to 50,000 hours. Power 2×18. With a ratio of 2 to 4 blue and red. And consumes only 9 watts.
You can find the best price. But for a long time. It’s hard to decide right away. The price may be small. But something else comes to mind. Cheap cheese is always in the mousetrap. Here also it is necessary to consider not only the price . But there are other criteria as well. First of all, their efficiency.
Decorative desktop
Many dissertations are written about decorative lamps . The variety on the market leaves no one indifferent.
For an orchid, other characteristics of such lamps are more important:
- Is it possible to use phytolamps for illumination in them? And what? It turns out you can;
- Your imagination may even lag behind the proposal. Just look. And if you want, you can find addresses. And check prices.
Smart people who know a lot about orchids created lamps in the form of orchids :
- They look just amazing;
- And they cost no less than natural ones. And somewhere on the level. And sometimes even higher;
- They are much easier to take care of! (do not forget the location of the outlet);
- But it must be seen! It is easy to confuse with natural ones.
If you look closely at the bud, you can see the lamp.
Helpful Hints
Growing Orchid under full artificial light
It is not always possible to find a sufficiently lit place for an orchid. Many examples can be given of growing them completely under artificial lighting.
What is important to decide :
- Set day and night temperatures . They are important to many orchids. Especially for flowering; Orchid lighting option.
- Provide other conditions for the selected type of orchid:
- Humidity;
- Air circulation;
- And be sure the power of the lamp and its distance from the flowers.
solar powered lamp for orchid
It’s worth seeing such lamps in reality . Beauty in the garden becomes special. In the evening and at night. 5 pcs for 370 UAH. Great for home and garden!
And about the usefulness for orchids – a separate topic. And this is not about frugality. About usefulness . They do not provide the best spectra for orchids to grow and bloom (red and blue). And you can count.
Conclusion
You have (turned out to be) an orchid. She needs adequate lighting. If your intention is to grow it. It’s not even a problem these days. You just have to think about her options for what are best grow lights for orchid. In addition to proper lighting, the flower needs care at home .
