Question
How many hours do I leave my grow lights on my orchids. I have several genus Miltonia,Cattleya, Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, Paphiopedilum, Oncidium,Vanda, and Odontoglossum. In my spare bedroom I have a large electric fan on the ceiling and wall heater to help my orchids. Do you know how many hours in one day,do I leave the grow lights on? Thanks Clara

Answer
Hello Clara,

You have quite a varied collection of orchids growing in your home.  While they all do not require the same amount or intensity of light, you can safely leave the lights on for 10 to 12 hours a day in winter and 12 to 14 hours in summer.  

But, with that said, how much sun light enters the bedroom during the day?  If there is a lot of direct sun light during much of the year, you might be able to only use the grow lights to supplement natural sun light.  

Of the ones you have, the ones requiring the most light are the Vanda and Cattleya with the Oncidium, Odontoglossum and Dendrobium needing a little less, the others can grow pretty well with bright shade.  But, if there is little or no direct sun light in the room, the grow lights will help.  

The ceiling fan will be a big help as all orchids need some gentle fresh air movement around them.  

Hope this helped.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.