5 Tips For Getting Your Orchid Lights Just Right

Light is absolutely essential to all orchid species. You can have all of your orchids other needs met, including water, humidity, temperature, and fertilizer, but if you don't get this one critical element right you will not see your orchid bloom the way you had hoped.

Orchids are found in tropical, sub-tropical, mountain, lowland, hot and cool climates of the world. Orchids that live in each of these locales have adapted to the light availability of these places. Light is the essence of life for these plants. It is what spurns them to grow and ultimately bloom. However, not all orchids are created equal and with over 100,000 to choose from it would be impossible to state a general light requirement formula that would cover the needs of all of those orchids.

As a rule of thumb orchids need abundant light. The important element though is the intensity of the light. That said there are five very important tips that can help get you on the right path for meeting your orchids lighting needs. Lets take a closer look:

Step 1. Research. I cannot understate the importance of doing research on your specific orchids light needs before purchasing. Why is this so important? You want to set yourself up for success. You need to know that you can emulate the environment at your home, office, or greenhouse that will cause your orchid to thrive. Because so many orchids don't bloom that often, you want to have the right knowledge before investing the time, effort, and money. Find out if your orchid is a low, medium, or high light plant.

Step 2. Natural, Artificial, or Both? Now that you've selected which orchid will work for you, it is time to decide how you will light it. Natural light is of course the best option. If, for example, you have decided on a Phalaenopsis orchid, then they require minimal light. I recommend placing them in an east-facing window that is bright, but not powerful. You could also supplement or replace the natural light with artificial light. Consider using fluorescent lights placed about a foot above the Phalaenopsis with exposures of 12-15 hours per day following the natural length of the day.

If you've chosen a medium to high light orchid like the Cattleya, then consider placing your orchid outdoors during the warmer months. I prefer a south-east facing aspect so they get good sun with stronger intensity. You will want to make sure that you have dappled sunlight, which leads us to the next step.

Step 3. Shade. Even the most sun loving orchids can't sit in the blaring sunlight all day without some moderation. Because so many orchids grow on or around trees, the light they do receive, regardless of intensity, is regulated. For this reason, it is very important to have some form of shade or light dappling. If you are growing your orchids outdoors consider placing them near trees and monitor the shadow patterns for a day and adjust as needed. You can also set up a hanging cloth to mimic the tree if you don't have a yard.

Step 4. Leaf Quality. A sure fire way to tell if your orchid is receiving too much or too little light is to check the coloring and texture of its leaves. If the leaves are turning yellow, brown or beginning to wilt, then they are under watered or over exposed to sunlight.

Step 5. Light Meters. These are certainly not in everyone's budget, nor recommended for the beginner, but if you are serious about orchid growing then you should consider picking up a light meter sometime. Orchid light is measured in foot-candles (fc) and you can use a light meter to gage the amount of light your orchid is currently receiving and modify as necessary.

Getting the light just right for your orchid might take a bit of trial and error at first, but once you figure out what works best for your specific plant then it can be a breeze to care for. Just remember to do your research! Happy Gardening!

Mark Alber is the owner of www.OrchidInformationHeadquarters.com [http://www.OrchidInformationHeadquarters.com].

You can find more helpful resources about orchid lights [http://www.orchidinformationheadquarters.com/orchid-lights/] at his website.

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