Phal in office

[Warren]

Hi all, I'd like to grow a phal in the office. I have a few types at home, which seem to be happy. In the office though, I have a cubicle away from sunlight. Would it be better to have a fluorescent light on all weekend, or no light on?

I'm guessing light on would be preferable.

Thanks!
Warren

[mayres]

Hi Warren -
You have a couple of issues here - the light must be close enough to do some good and it should not be on 24 hours per day - generally about 16 seems to work for me. If possible put your light on a timer and you will want the plant as close to the bulbs (within reason - maybe as close as 4-5 inches if fluorescents) as you can get them. Fluorescent light from ceiling lights is not nearly enough to make your plant(s) happy. I'm talking about long term care at the office here. mike

[greg_s]

I would agree with Mike. Light is going to be an issue. I have found that office light levels are often too dim for happy plants (even phals or paphs). The trick is that human eyes adjust to lower light levels and make it seem much brighter inside than it actually is. If you have an overhead self on your desk with a light under it, you might be able to get by. But the ceiling lights are going to be too far off. They do make table top lights specifically for growing one or two plants that work on a timer but unmodified office conditions would not make for a happy plant.

[Warren]

I've got 2 fluorescent lights just above my desk which I was planning on using for this purpose. I probably should have stated that in the beginning. They're 25W tubes, and are just above the desk. Just enough so that I could fit a phal under it.

Sounds like I'll need a light with a timer for the weekends though. I was thinking perhaps turn on only one of them for the weekend, but maybe it won't be happy with that.

My other option is to take it home once it's done blooming.

Thanks,
Warren

[jerrymeola]

You should use a timer. Leaving the lights on will lengthen the day beyond all natural levels. It is a combination of quantity of light and the on off cycle of light the plants need.

I think no light on the weekend is preferable to 24/7 light.

[Warren]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I put in a small desklamp with a timer. I used a 23W fluorescent bulb, and I'm near 1500 fcs at the biggest leaves.

It sure does dry out fast though. I watered on thursday and it was bone dry on monday morning. It's potted in sphag and it's in a terra cotta pot. No plastic liner.

Warren

[jerrymeola]

I think the biggest issue of growing orchids in an office is the dehydration rate. Keep it always in mind.

I have a Miltonia on my desk that has been watered only twice in a month while in the greenhouse it was watered every day. But the flowers look as fresh today as when they opened almost 5 weeks ago. I seldom get three weeks on Milt flowers in Florida heat outdoors.

My wife stopped taking flowers to her office because she never got over a week on cattleyas flowers. Air conditioning and heat can trash flowers quick.

[Anton]

I am surprised no one has mentioned a UV fluoro, after all, plants need the Ultra Violet to survive happily.