I guess I am the only one who does this?? I bought regular shop lights from a hardware store, replaced the bulbs w/ one warm and one cool, the wattage is lower than I would have liked, but I am waiting for the bulbs to burn out before I replace them with a higher #.

The bulbs I have (maybe they are 40w, I forget) don't put off much heat so I have the plants very close and am not worried about burning. Though none of the growth has been awe-inspiring, most plants WILL grow and I have had a few flowering tropicals, including hoyas, bloom under these lights. I'll be adding another set this month.

If you go to the "growing under lights" forum here, you should be able to get more specifics than I can give you..good luck, it is nice to know I am not the only one living "in the dark", trying to grow plants that need so much light! If I were staying where I live right now, more skylights would be a must, no matter the cost, but this is a temporary home and me and the plants will only have to suffer another year or two at the most.

I always get slammed when I tell people I have a 1000W metal halide in my dining room that I grow most of my hoyas under. So I am at the other side of the spectrum and probably give them way too much light. I have noticed my lacunosa doesnt light the strong light, it tends to bleach out a bit. The others grow great. So I would think any amount of light you can give them will be adequate.

TRacy

Tracy I hope you didn't think I was "slamming" you when I responded to a few of your questions about growing under lights----it is never my intetion to bash anyone or make them feel like their way is the "wrong" way. I absolutely believe each one of us can find our own growing tricks for the individual environments we live in. Besides, all plant lovers are my friends! :)

That said, I just want to caution you about one other thing---feel free to disregard it as you see fit. About a year ago I gave up growing orchids (they are PRISSY plants and I've had enough of priss these days) and did not alter my lighting set up---I just plopped my houseplants under the same intensely bright lights. Some of the plants were clearly burned and I knew enough to move them, but others did not show obvious signs of trouble. Some languished under the bright light, but I thought it was was normal growth until I removed them from the shelf and they really took off.

Metal halide lights are usually meant for blooming orchids, shrubs and veggies---though in your neck of the woods I imagine plants would love to have that extra light. So get your groove on in your bright dining room and just be on the lookout for any problems. :)

My current light set-up is 4 four-foot t8 bulbs (two warm, two cool) over each shelf---this is what I bloomed orchids under. These lights are *significantly* more powerful than your average shop lights, but less powerful that Tracy's metal halide. It's too bright for a LOT of plants. I have only recently acquired some gorgeous hoya cuttings---while they are starting to grow nicely under the lights, it's really too early for me to tell if problems are cooking up below the surface. I may have to move the shelf further from the lights to decrease the intensity. If any problems arise I'll keep you guys posted.

I admit the 1000W is a bit much, and I am actually planning on moving it to the basement to overwinter some bigger plants. I am replacing it with a 400W metal halide in the dining room. I am trying to light most of the dining room, maybe a 6x6 area, some just get more light than others. I admit the heat is intense, but I have had an air conditioner going as well, that is another reason for moving it to the basement. And the plants drink like crazy, I dont think you could over water any of them.....lol. I am hoping a 400W will keep the steady growth ( I am going to be seeing 6-8 daylight hours here in ALberta)as the light is scarce here in the winter.

Shiver....no offense taken, I have been told even by some local people that I went way over the top, but thats okay.....it was a treat to me, and I agree some grow better than others under the light, the ones that dont like the intense light go a little further away. My AV's hate it, even a few feet away, they still grow tight, but I am working on that.

Tracy

Even 400 sounds high! There is a grower on msn who has all her hoyas under artificial lights, a warm 55 watt and a cool 55 watt and the plants grow and flower well...so what is excessive when it comes to watts? I really need to forget about chemistry for a few hours this week (no one will need to twist my arm!) and do some serious reading up on growing under lights.

I went online and found two hydroponic stores within a half hour of where I live, and not like the orchid store in Surf City that only sells the clay aggregate and one style of pot. Both of these stores are big and have it all, including all kinds of lighting stuff. And I may also be able to check out the coir.

Ines did you go??

No. I have been sooooo busy the past few weeks, barely have time for anything. But I really need to go, as I have a linearis growing like mad in a glass ice cream sundae dish filled with clay aggregate! I need a pot for it, you would not believe the roots and growth I have gotten in such a short time.

A few days ago I recieved as a surprise with some hoya cutting trades the cutest little hydro heart shaped pot! The woman who sent it owns the company in Canada. But I need something bigger for the linearis, I have some ariadna cuttings rooting for the heart pot. As for lights, I had to go out and buy a new "cool" bulb and, being pressed for time, just stopped at the local Lowes, something I have been putting off for weeks, felt so good that I finally got the bulb, then came home and dropped it on my kitchen floor!!! Grrrr....

Anyway, I do plan on heading to the hydro store, I talked to them on the phone and they have everything I could be looking for as far as lights/hydro supplies go. I had wanted to go this week, but..if not, next weekend for sure....IF I don't go camping....sigh...

Then of course there is the question of money...and I know nobody wants to hear this but I need to vent!! Yesterday my parrot bit my 5 year old niece. Now I don't know if any of you have ever been bit by a parrot, but it hurts, and she IS only 5 so there was much hysterical crying and screaming. The only way I could get her to stop was by making much fuss over the new fairy statue my mom had just gotten her at a local gift shop. So, while I was bandaging her hand and marvelling over the $42 statue - I knocked the statue off the table and onto the floor - crash! Both wings snapped off. Fresh screaming and hysterics. The ONLY way to console her was to bundle her into the car and drive to the store where Aunt Jennifer will buy her another fairy statue....well, guess what....the one I broke was the only one of that kind that they had. Another bout of hysterics, this time in public...but hey look, they have this OTHER beautiful fairy statue that is ONLY $20 more!! So, Aunt Jennifer gets to fork out $65 for a fairy statue.
And, mind you, Aunt Jennifer is on a very tight budget, there is barely money left over for neceessities like food and toilet paper and hoyas, let alone $65 fairy statues. Sooo....the hydro store may have to wait a few weeks.

Thanks for listening.

Just thought I'd update on my project of growing hoyas under lights....

Clearly four "T8" bulbs (32 watts a piece) are waaaayyyyy to much light for hoyas. I've had my cuttings under them for about 3 weeks, and at first they took off in growth and seemed quite happy. Then BAM! All the new foilage turned very dark red (nearly black)----the polyneura was the only one who's leaves bleached out white. For those inexperienced with growing under lights, please do heed warning signs like these. When you get a fast burn like that you *must* move your plants quickly, or the leaves will turn into brown ash within a few days. I caught it right away and moved my babies back by the windows---all are now recovering nicely and still growing.

Ines_99 sent me an email about how her hoyas are doing pretty well under 2 bulbs of regular old shop lights (40 watts or lower), so that may be an option for some. That's about the same intensity of light that AVs grow well under. If window light isn't enough over the winter for my hoya babies I'll try putting them under *two* T8 bulbs and see how that works. For other people new to growing hoyas in a norhtern climate, just know that these plants don't need as much light as orchids or other blooming plants---good news for the average home owner. :)

That is interesting. I was wondering if I could get my spare lamps and shine them on my plants. They obviously DO give the plants the right spectrum, enough to give the plants the boost to flower.

My boyfriend will think I'm nuts though ("Why are you shining lights at your plants? Can I turn them off?")

Hills I saw your new shelf unit pic on DG - I thought of a good way to get some light on those plants. I have a desk lamp I got at Walmart, it isn't very big, has a base, an adjustable arm and adjustable hood that is about 15" long. Comes with a cool flourescent bulb in it (and they have replacement bulbs) Not sure of the wattage, maybe 20? I think I paid about $10 or $15. If you had another small table close by, or a small table on each side, you could place the lamps there and then adjust the arms and hoods to shine up or down or sideways or even upside down etc.

I also noticed that those light bulbs with the "tubes" come in flourescent now. And I THINK you can pop those into a regular lamp.

If the light bulb is too strong, just move the plants further away from the lamp (if that's possible and/or practical?). The power and luminosity decrease with the distance from the source... being stuck with a 50W bulb, that's the trick I've used to avoid burning my plants. Considering my plants are already taking over the house, I'm only allowed to use regular lamps as growing lights (for the wellbeing of my other family members) My reading lamp works wonders as a multi-use spotlight :)

Ines
I loved the story about your niece and the statue, but sorry it had to happen to you. I am with you on a budget for my hoya's as well, unfortunately.
Shanna