how much light to grow vanda indoors??? HELP

[elvinwei]

i am new to vandas but would really like to get some

the problem is the grow areas i have and setting up are all for low light orchids

so my question is, how much light does it take to grow vandas indoors?
will power compacts or T5s do? or does it have to be metal halides or HPS lights?

if my only choice is to grow them outdoors, what do i do in the winter? i live in Nor Cal, while the winters are nowhere as bad as other parts of US, i know it is too cold to keep any orchid outdoor


please help!!

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Vandas are mostly warm growing and mostly high light. I generally don't think these are good indoor plants, with maybe the exception of the smaller varieties, those with lots of ascocentrum in them. But, if you are determined to grow the big showy ones, I guess the HPS lights would be the way to go. But, while I grow a lot of Vandas, I do it in a greenhouse, and as yet have very little experience with HPS and flourescents, so may not be the best judge. Cynthia

[elvinwei]

i was thinking of the ones that are ascocentrum
i have also started thinking about positioning two halogen spot lights to focus on the vandas

i envy the peeps who live in Florida and Singapore and so on who do not have to worry about winters :<


thanks Cynthia

[jerrymeola]

You want to get your light up to about 6-8000 foot candles of light. That is in excess of winter sun in Florida. Summer sun whereever you live may barely get to 10,000.

It is going to be a problem indoors without a lot os supplemental light.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

When you buy an Ascocenda, you must check with the grower that the plant is actually short/small growing. An Ascocenda could be several generations away from the ascocentrum and have very little of it left. Remember that the Ascocentrum was not really introduced to make the plant small, but to give vandas the red color. So check before buying. Cynthia