Hello!

[nicoleborn68]

Recently joined & new to the site! I've been growing orchids for a few years. My collection has pretty much exploded in the past year...I honestly spend most of my free time either reading about orchids, buying orchids, watching orchid videos, etc...I grow mainly cattleyas, neofinetia (vanda) falcata orchids, paphiopedilums, and phrags, with some other species/varieties as well. I like both species and hybrids. This year I had most of my orchids outdoors during the summer, and now everything but the couple dendrobriums have been moved indoors under lights.

 

[monocotman]

Welcome Nicole from Cornwall Uk!
you’ve come to the right place to cement your orchid addiction. there is a huge fund of knowledge on all things orchidaceous, you just need to ask.

 

[NYEric]

Welcome from NYC.

 

[big923cattleya]

Welcome from SE Michigan!
It is up to you of course but if you are going to hang around, ask questions and such, a little more information could prove helpful. Such as what type of indoor lights? Where in the US are you? I too summer things outside from roughly May 1st until now. I am bringing in my orchids right now because after todays forecast of showers all day and 75 degrees, we are in for three or four days in the 50's along with the lower 40's at night. The more we know the better we might be able to assist you down the road.
I grow Paphiopedilums, compact Phragmipediums and Cattleyas. Both species and hybrids. But under lights does force certain limitations if you will.
Regardless, welcome welcome welcome!!!!!

 

[GuRu]

Hello and a warme welcome from Germany.

 

[Djthomp28]

Welcome from Ohio.

 

[nicoleborn68]

Welcome from SE Michigan!
It is up to you of course but if you are going to hang around, ask questions and such, a little more information could prove helpful. Such as what type of indoor lights? Where in the US are you? I too summer things outside from roughly May 1st until now. I am bringing in my orchids right now because after todays forecast of showers all day and 75 degrees, we are in for three or four days in the 50's along with the lower 40's at night. The more we know the better we might be able to assist you down the road.
I grow Paphiopedilums, compact Phragmipediums and Cattleyas. Both species and hybrids. But under lights does force certain limitations if you will.
Regardless, welcome welcome welcome!!!!!

Hello! Thank you for sharing that! The lights I have are from Botanical LEDs, for the most part. I do have a couple spider farmer adjustable lights that I change according to the light needs of the orchid (they are the approximately 12inx12in ones). I suppose I also recently purchased some smaller grow lights, Barrina LEDs, from Amazon for my orchidiarium which has mainly paphs in it. I am in central Minnesota. For the outdoors, I set up a shade tent using some metal framing and 60% aluminet shade cloth. This past summer was my first year growing orchids outdoors, and the ones I put outside really seemed to like it (cattelyas, neofinetia falcata).

 

[big923cattleya]

Thanks Nicole for giving us all a bit more information.
I too am growing under LED's and finding great success. All of my tubes are of the T-5 type, 6,500k, and I have currently 21 tubes running. 8 of which are part of a new light fixture I purchased. It is 26" deep by 46" wide. There are a total of 8 tubes, a switch to turn on or off 4 of the eight tubes. It has only been on for five days as my plants slowly come in from outside. Today really is my deadline as Saturday night's low here is forecasted to be 49F and then two straight nights of 39F. Just a bit too cool for my taste.
Ultimately I hope to house about 50 orchids under those lights this winter. They do seem to produce a little heat with all 8 tubes turned out but it dissipates quickly as I have an oscillating fan on the same timer. Count me as very excited!! I keep my home and plant room a little cool, say 68 degrees. It is one story and I love it at that temperature. So do my Cattleyas and big strap leaved Paphs.
Thanks again. Bill

 

[nicoleborn68]

Thank you for explaining your setup! I'm glad to hear that success can be had indoors as well as out - I had to invest in lighting this fall and will be growing more orchids under lights than I ever have before.

 

[big923cattleya]

Oh you have reminded me to post a few images. Later this evening I will add a few.

 

[big923cattleya]

This shows my new light fixture with some plants in place. I have room for probably 30 more plants.

 

[Duck Slipper]

Welcome Nicole, from Kentucky.
Good job Big Catt, looks good!