- 1. I am not endorsing any products (apologies in advance is there is some rule against posting products), I am sincerely looking to light and house a boat load of orchids and have 0 actual experience with these types of products. I've done some research but any of your insight will be greatly appreciated.
2. this doesn't totally seem offtopic, the forum description includes grow lights
The Facts
1. We have 120 orchids to keep heated and lit.
2. They rest on 2 steel shelving units in an unheated sunroom. Shelving is 2.5' deep by 5' long.
3. the sunroom warms up well in the sunlight, but on cloudy days and at night it gets quite cold. I have some thermometers and extra-long shower curtains arriving this week.
4. We live in a Zone 5/6 climate - which means lowest lows at about -10f outside, unsure about the temp in the sunroom during these lows.
5. The room gets 7 hours of southern exposure
The Plan (so far)
1. Heating: I think that wrapping the shelving in light diffusing plastic around back, sides, and tops, and using shower curtains in front (clear for aesthetics) will help trap heat from a heating pad, or an oil heater, plus sunlight and whatever heat is emitted from bulbs. This can be adjusted with ventilation if too hot.
2. Lighting: I think that installing fluorescent light bulbs on the underside of the shelves will give the plants the additional hours of sunlight they need.
Questions pertaining to points 1 + 2 above
1. Heating: I am not sure how people tend to heat plants. I think this will suffice at the moment.
2. Lighting: The biggest questions: (basically, if you understand these numbers and how to determine these things, you'll save me research time. If you don't have time to explain, please show me what I can read)
- 2.a) does the 2.5 foot depth of the shelves require 1 row or 2 rows of fluorescent bulbs to cover the full depth of the shelf?
2.b) do the Orchid (want to stay general here, since I have several types) light requirements themselves require 2 lights (that is: 1 full spectrum, 1 "warmer" light)?
2.c) what lumen/foot-candle intensity do these plants generally require? or basically, which of the products below (if any) would suffice? Do you have recommendations?
I've been looking at
T5 High Output Warm White-
https://www.bulbs.com/product/F54T5-830-HO
https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/89005/SUN-901480.html
T5 High Output Daylight White -
https://www.bulbs.com/product/F54T5-865-HO-ALTO?RefId=49
https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/89018/SUN-901485.html
Light + Fixture
https://www.htgsupply.com/Product-GrowB ... e-of-Bulbs
https://www.htgsupply.com/Product-HTG-S ... T5-Fixture