Tropical Plants Under Lights HELP!

[Monkeygurl]

Heya,

So I got:

Orchid (hydroponic system)
Plumeria
Madagascar Jasmine
Ti Leaf
May get more plants

I'm in a zone 6B @Michigan. So in the summer my plants can live outside... in the Winter - I plan on bringing them indoors. I do have a windsor that I can place them under... BUT... light in Michigan winter is pretty bad and I am assuming I need supplemental lights.

The following I'm interested in (don't know how that fairs in pricing but it's got everything other than a stand)
https://www.amazon.com/iPower-GLSETX600D ... re+fixture


So I started looking into it... apparently High Pressure Sodium or Horticulture lamps are the way to go.... My questions are

1- I'm assuming I need about 600 Watt - that should add about $50-100 to my electric bill... does this sound about right? Is this the most cost effective way to deal with this (buying the lights + fixture is expensive as it is).

2- From my understanding these lights totally replace sunlight... I worry about "plant burning"... at what angle/distance would you recommend I set this up

3- I'm going away for almost 3 weeks something in the future - are these safe to keep on at home?

Thanks

[imafan26]

I gotta ask, why do you have an orchid in a hydroponic system? Orchids in nature are attached to trees, live on rocks and others in open fields. Some even float on peat bogs. Most of them like to get their roots wet everyday but since orchid roots in nature hang out or down (and do not live in a pot) and only terrestrial orchids live in the ground, they are dry most of the time.

[applestar]

In my experience, even tropicals go semi-dormant during the shortest coldest days of winter. I imagine that may not be the case if you supply sufficient heat, but I group them into 60's or above for upstairs where it's warmer vs. can handle dips into 50's/prefers 40's to 50's for downstairs.

I provide sufficient supplemental light with fluorescent shop lights and cfl bulbs in utility lamps to keep them from deteriorating, but I quit feeding them and only minimally water them. This way they all resign themselves and more or less go dormant in December-January.

The lower sun angle means more sunlight does reach into the interior of the rooms. So all my plants are clustered around windows with supplemental light supplying the light from the sides and interior... except for a few favored plants which are given premium spots under or next to the shop lights.

I've posted my light set ups in Winter Indoor Tomatoes and corresponding Peppers threads.

[rainbowgardener]

That's very fancy and would be good to have, if you can't have plants in front of windows.

My plants that need the most sun are in front of the best window, SW facing tall picture window with windows on the other side of the corner adding. Then I have one of these:



behind them to help illuminate from the other direction. The heads are flexible and can be directed towards individual containers. They have compact fluros in them.

IME daily misting really makes a difference. I water infrequently, but mist most days. Helps them survive indoor aridity.

[rainbowgardener]

sorry, duplicate post!