LED lights and orchids photoperiod

[jay]

With winter, by orchids are getting a lot less light. I wouldn't be worried except that they are in full shade all the time now due to a large palm tree and lemon bush outside this east window.

I have bought and built two LED growlights to use as a suppliment to my higher light orchids. You can see an example here. (it's the 14 watt kit)

Some plants know the seasons by amount of photoperiod, while some adjust due to temperature changes. Is there a way to find out which orchids will need the light reduction to signal winter? I don't want to accidentally trick one of my orchids to thinking it is spring with the extra lighting.

Jay

P.S. I will let know what I think of the LED growlights as I use them more. So far I like them. I have them on a timer to go on around sunrise and off around sunset.

[mayres]

I have asked a related question on several other threads - since a majority of the numbers of orchids live near the equator I would presume that there is NOT a seasonal photoperiod for many. My phals for example seem to do great with 16 hours of artificial light year round - spiking right on schedule (now). There are probably others, but some types of paphs (at least the complex ones) seem to be flower bud triggered by declining amounts of daylight. Some other types of paphs I have seem to be more tolerant of continued lighting periods.

[jay]

Mayres - Thanks for the info. I really wasn't sure which would need that long night to let it know it was winter. I have been doing reading on hydroponic growing and found that many plants need this change in hours of darkness to initiate flowering. I just didn't want to throw off the whole cycle.

How are the T5's now that you have had them for a little longer?

Jay

[mayres]

LOVE EM! We'll see how I feel about them a year from now, but currently I am totally sold out on them. Wish I had another unit. The last two winters I have not had adequate lighting for anything but paphs and phals through regular T8 shoplights. Now with these T5's I can keep most of my other plants "happy" as well. I'm also anxious to see if many plants will now be easier to aclimate going back outside in the spring since they will have not felt like they were in a "cave" all winter?
I will be anxious to hear if those LED lights really do any good - somewhere a few weeks ago I read an article by a person who supposedly worked in the lighting industry who was saying that he didn't recommend them - not enough intensity to really do the trick. Now that you have a unit you can give us the REAL honest first hand report/truth! Go Jay! Let us know in a few months how your plants have responded to them. I take it you are using them as supplemental and not only lighting? This will make it harder to tell how much good they are actually doing unless you have like plants in and out of the unit. Looking forward to a review.......

[brookn]

I have been curious about the LED's for a while myself. I will be very interested to see if you get good results with them. I am not sure that I should be trying to put them together though, I am fairly sure it would be disastrous. My best friend gets very put out with me when I call her and ask for advice, I tend to say stuff like wire thingy and thingamajig when I talk about various parts (she is generally not amused with my tech vernacular).

[jay]

I found the kit to be a fun challenge. I had done some soldering before with building r/c airplanes, but never on a board.

It did take be about 2 hours total time. I believe that they will make if for you for an additional $20.

Jay

[exasperatus2002]

Interesting indeed. Please keep us apraised.

[jay]

I will let you know after the winter as to how the orchids under the LED growlights do.

Jay