Growing Neofinetia under lights

[Erythrone]

I grow some Neofinetias under lights and I am thinking those littles guys dislike high lights level of HPS and fluo compacts bulbs in summer. Summer day temperatures are usually under 27 C, with nights at 18C.


For those of you who grows successfully Neofs species and hybrids under T5 lights, can you wrote about your set-up (number of bulbs, distance from the plants, etc.)?

 

[wjs2nd]

I grow lots of orchids under light but have never put my neos under them.

I find my Neos do really well in a window. Neos want the must light during cool/cold winter days (in nature none of the trees have leafs to shade them). During the winter the cold window helps keep them cool and bright. In the summer I hang up shade cloth for shade. I know a lot of people who put them outdoors in the summer under shade cloth with a lot of success.

 

[wjs2nd]

Here is a little info on growing under lights and culture care for Neos. Hope it helps. http://www.newworldorchids.com/pages/neoculture.htm

 

[Erythrone]

Thanks a lot Billy!

 

[Jaljala]

I grow some Neos under T5 and they do well, but they also do very well on a windowsill. The ones under lights are 20cm under the T5s (3 x 6400K and 1x 2700K). They don't have strong temperature variation day/night (25˚C/20˚C), just the extra heat from the T5s during the day.
They are growing and blooming well, some are in pure Orchiata brak since last year, others in sphagnum moss, others on a lava rock mount.
Get sprayed almost everyday in growing season and deep watering once a week.

 

[Erythrone]

Thanks Jaljala.

About your T5 installation: what distance between each of the 4 tubes (bulb)?

 

[Jaljala]

10 cm

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

I don't grow neo's under my lights. I put them in the east window of my cool room, spring-fall outdoors, in a sheltered spot that only gets sun in the morning. They have been doing great so far!

 

[Erythrone]

Thank you Jaljala and Eric!

 

[wjs2nd]

P.S. depending on the type of variegation you want different light. Marginal variegation usually keeps it's color in any light. However, tiger variegation may not develop strong markings in low light.

 

[Erythrone]

Great tip, Billy! Thanks!