Transcript www.cincinnatiorchids.org

PRINCIPLES OF LIGHT
FOR
ORCHID GROWERS
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STAN BETTER
JANUARY 2011
1/31/11
LIGHT PRISM
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WHEN THE SUN’S RAYS HIT A PRISM
THE VISIBLE LIGHT SPECTRUM IS REVEALED
PRINCIPLES OF LIGHT
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LIGHT CAN INFLUENCE ALL ASPECTS OF
ORCHID PLANT GROWTH AND FLOWERING.
LIGHT PROVIDES THE ENERGY FOR
PHOTOSYNTHESIS WHICH IS THE PLANT’S
ABLILITY TO CONVERT CARBON DIOXIDE
(CO2) AND WATER (H2O) INTO SUGARS AND
OXYGEN (O2).
LIGHT (AS STEVE HELBLING SAYS) IS “FOOD
FOR ORCHIDS”.
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LIGHT DURATION
DURATION OF LIGHT IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD IS
KNOWN AS DAYLENGTH OR PHOTOPERIOD.
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PHOTOPERIOD CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE
YEAR.
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MAGNITUDE OF CHANGE DEPENDS ON
LATITUDE: AT THE EQUATOR THE CHANGE IS
LESS (ABOUT 40 MINUTES) FROM WINTER TO
SUMMER. IN CINCINNATI (40 DEGREE
NORTH LATITUDE) THE PHOTOPERIOD
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CHANGE IS ABOUT 7 HOURS (9 HOURS DAY
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WHY IS DURATION IMPORTANT?
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PHOTOPERIODS ARE A CONSISTANT
ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETER WHEN
GROWING ORCHIDS. YOU CAN PLAN HOW
AND WHAT YOU WANT TO GROW BASED ON
YOUR REGION.
MANY ORCHIDS USE THE CHANGE IN
PHOTOPERIOD AS A FACTOR IN SIGNALING
THE INDUCEMENT OF FLOWERING.
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HOW HAS THE ORCHID GROWER
ADDRESSED LIGHT DURATION?
ORCHID GROWERS HAVE MANIPULATED THE
PHOTOPERIOD BY THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL
LIGHT EITHER TO SUPPLEMENT NATURAL
LIGHT OR AS THE SOLE LIGHT SOURCE AS IN
BASEMENT GROWING.
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BY CONTROLLING THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT,
BOTH IN INTENSITY AND DURATION, THE
ORCHID GROWER CAN CONTROL THE
AMOUNT OF FOOT CANDLES, COLOR, AND
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PHOTOPERIOD REQUIRED FOR A PARTICULAR
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WHAT PHOTOPERIOD SHOULD
YOU PROVIDE YOUR ORCHIDS?
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THERE IS NO ONE ANSWER. IT DEPENDS ON
THE PARTICULAR ORCHID YOU ARE
GROWING AND ITS CULTURAL
REQUIREMENTS.
CONTINUOUS ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING (24
HOUR) IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR
ORCHIDS. THEY REQUIRE AT LEAST A 6 HOUR
DARK PERIOD AT EACH 24 HOUR INTERVAL.
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LIGHT QUALITY
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LIGHT CONSISTS OF INDIVIDUAL PARTICLES
OF ENERGY CALLED PHOTONS.
EACH PHOTON WITHIN THE VISIBLE LIGHT
SPECTRUM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DRIVE
PHOTOSYNTHESIS.
LIGHT QUALITY REFERS TO THE SPECTRAL
DISTRIBUTION OF LIGHT RAYS HITTING THE
PLANT.
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LIGHT QUALITY
THE ENERGY OF EACH PHOTON IS
DEPENDENT ON ITS WAVELENGTH. FOR
EXAMPLE, RED LIGHT HAS A LONG
WAVELENGTH BUT LESS ENERGY PER
PHOTON; BLUE LIGHT HAS A SHORTER
WAVELENGTH BUT MORE ENERGY PER
PHOTON.
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APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF OF THE ENERGY
OF THE SUN’S RAYS FALLS WITHIN THE
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PLANT’S ABILITY TO PRODUCE
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LIGHT QUALITY
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PLANTS HAVE A GREEN PIGMENT CALLED
CHLOROPHYLL WHICH ABSORBS THE LIGHT
ENERGY AND THEN TRANSFERS THIS ENERGY
TO DRIVE PHOTOSYNTHESIS.
CHLOROPHYLL MAINLY ABSORBS BLUE AND
RED LIGHT.
THE REASON LEAVES LOOK GREEN IS THAT
GREEN LIGHT IS NOT ABSORBED, BUT
RATHER REFLECTED BACK OUT. THAT IS WHY
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HOW DOES LIGHT WAVELENGTH
AFFECT ORCHIDS?
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RED LIGHT INFLUENCES STEM ELONGATION
AND FLOWERING.
BLUE LIGHT INFLUENCES LEAF AND
PSEUDOBULB GROWTH ( MOSTLY
EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE FLOWER).
GREEN, YELLOW, UV, AND INFRA-RED LIGHT
DO LITTLE TO INITIATE PHOTOSYNTHESIS.
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LIGHT MEASUREMENT
TERMINOLOGY
FOOTCANDLE: MEASURABLE UNIT OF
ILLUMINANCE (BRIGHTNESS) EQUAL TO ONE
LUMEN PER SQUARE FOOT.
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LUMENS: A QUANTITATIVE MEASURE OF THE
HUMAN VISUAL RESPONSE TO OPTICAL
POWER.
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IN OTHER WORDS, LUMENS ARE WHAT A
LIGHT BULB EMIT. FOOTCANDLES ARE THE
MEASUREMENT THAT CAN BE TAKEN WHEN
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THE “LUMENS” STRIKE A PLANT SURFACE.
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DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIGHT BULBS
INCANDESCENT: A BULB WHICH PRODUCES
LIGHT BY THE ELECTRICAL HEATING OF A
MATERIAL (INCANDESCENCE). THESE BULBS
PRODUCE HEAT AND CONSUME WATTAGE.
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FLUORESCENT: A BULB WHICH PRODUCES
LIGHT BY ELECTRICALLY CHARGING GASFILLED TUBES. THESE BULBS PRODUCE LITTLE
HEAT, NEED LITTLE WATTAGE, BUT EMIT
RELATIVELY WEAK LUMENS.
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HID: HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE: BULBS
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laminate of special chemistry which emits
light in response to passing electrons.
Different chemistry/filters produce different
colors.
Today’s
LEDs areDiode
complex,
A Light Emitting
(LED)multilayered
is conceptually a
laminate of special chemistry which emits
micro-structures.
light in response to passing electrons.
Different chemistry/filters produce different
colors.
Today’s LEDs are complex, multilayered
micro-structures.
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Low heat (without requiring the usual
electrically heated filament to bring the
elements to heated incandescence)
410 times more usable light per watt
Longer
life- 5-11
longerto
life
Light produced
cantimes
be limited
plant usable
(50,000-70,000
hours vs. 5,000 + hours)
spectrums
Low heat (without requiring the usual
electrically heated filament to bring the
elements to heated incandescence)
410 times more usable light per watt
Longer life- 5-11 times longer life
(50,000-70,000 hours vs. 5,000 + hours)
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watts red and blue LEDs approx (15% of total
HPS) watts of used for east facing lean to
greenhouse with Odont/Masd growing
temperatures and intermediate for Minicats
and
others.
Replace
existing supplemental HPS lights in
Run
15 hours/day
with
photo cutoff
bothlights
cool and
intermediate
sections
with 500
during
bright
watts red
and sun.
blue LEDs approx (15% of total
HPS) watts of used for east facing lean to
greenhouse with Odont/Masd growing
temperatures and intermediate for Minicats
and others.
Run lights 15 hours/day with photo cutoff
during bright sun.
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Experiment

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outline text format

Second Outline
Level

Third Outline
Level

Fourth
Outline
Level
 Fifth
Outline
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cooling for 6 months/year. About half that in
the winter.
About a 5 year payout with LEDs as
purchased. Today LEDs are more powerful
Saved 1000 Kwhrs/month lights and AC
and affordable.
cooling for 6 months/year. About half that in
the winter.
About a 5 year payout with LEDs as
purchased. Today LEDs are more powerful
and affordable.
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Most Odonts have multiple leads and about
half of those with multiple full size mature
spikes in contrast to previous growing
producing only single leads and spike.
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outline text format

Second Outline
Level

Third Outline
Level
Fourth
Outline
Level
 Fifth
Oda. Lavender Lace x Aviewood
Outline
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Results
Increasing percent of plants with super sized
pseudobulbs and multiple leads.
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tips (awkward watering)
Possible unexpected negative or positivethree Odonts out of approx 20 in spike have
apical spike from top of pseudobulb in
Beginning to get good seedling growth when
contrast with previous experience of one of
under bench lights are within inches of leaf
about 200 in 30 years.
tips (awkward watering)
Possible unexpected negative or positivethree Odonts out of approx 20 in spike have
apical spike from top of pseudobulb in
contrast with previous experience of one of
about 200 in 30 years.
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Intermediate side results are good but not
quite so obvious
Intermediate side results are good but not
quite so obvious
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Pot. Free Spirit ‘Amy’ AM
4 leads open 3 more hidden
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Blc.Precious Stones
Multiple leads 4” pot
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Hknsa. Keepsake ‘Denver Gold’
AM
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Results
Plants do take on a different color at night.
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2. Red and blue LEDs light supplement
combination appears to increase new leads
and subsequent flowering and pseudo bulb
size
3.1.
LEDs
can supplement
natural
lighting
at
For
basement
cool growing
and
aquarium
growing
LEDthan
lights
appear
to beand
thebecause
best
lower cost
other
choices
of
choice
thiscan
time.
lower at
heat
very advantageous for cool
4.growing.
Recent performance/cost improvements
twolight
years.
are
2. real
Red over
and the
bluelast
LEDs
supplement
combination appears to increase new leads
and subsequent flowering and pseudo bulb
size
 3. For basement cool growing and aquarium
growing LED lights appear to be the best
choice at this time.
 4. Recent performance/cost improvements
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