Grow-Lights For Adenium

5 years ago

Time to order supplemental lighting for Adenium and some other fat-plants. But what kind, how many watts, color temperature, etc.

I've done a quick search on this forum and at various web-sites, and honestly, the more I read thw more confused and confounded I get. I don't want to set up some science lab....I just want to keep my plants alive until next spring. I could order a 120-watt, full-spectrum, 12" square LED light panel....but I don't know if this will give me what I need to keep Adenium alive. These panels sell for about $25.00. Will these cheapo panels work, and give plants enough light?

Please....just tell me what to buy. I want the cheapest, plug-them-into-the-wall bulbs available. Does Home Depot sell coiled fluorescent bulbs that will do the trick? What kind and what color/kelvin? If yes, I'll buy some bulbs and couple of reflectors and stick this set-up over each plant. Done.

If possible....I want to light a 18" X 18" square area....just for the winter months. Nothing elaborate, and for just a few plants.

BTW, since Adenium, and some other fat-plants, have greenish, photosynthetic stems, branches, trunks, is it better to keep these areas under intense lights or should the top rack of leaves be kept closest to the lights? When these plants lose their leaves it's the stems that continue to make the food that sustains them. I want to just keep the plants alive, growing, and thriving throughout the winter months.

Thanks for help and suggestions.

Frank

NYC/7b

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

mesembs
5 years ago
Fluorescent bulbs definitely work. I use a few CFLs myself. The important thing is the color temperature. You want 6500K bulbs. I like to use 100 watt equivalent bulbs (~23 real watts), but you probably shouldn't use any wattage lower than that.

In terms of LED lights, I bought this panel last fall and it has preformed well. Cheap, high power, and so far it has lasted.
bronxfigs: New York City/7b thanked mesembs
whisst69
5 years ago
Yes it will work I have mine under a standard led light you get at home depot and they fat and happy, I also turn the light on for 16 hours and 8 hours off. Hope this helps
Related Discussions
How to grow Adeniums from seed?
Q
Comments (24)
I do much the same as Ladylotus mentions and I find that starting them in the spring is more effective. When I have started in the fall/winter months I used to put under a grow light to keep them growing throughout the winter. The seedlings need to be kept growing and not go dormant. I found that the ones started in Feb/Mar where at the same size by summer as those started in the fall. Did not seem worth the cost of extra heat and lighting. The big thing with these plants especially once transplanted in your climate and mine is to have them in a gritty mix. With this gritty mix, it will make the probability of cold/wet conditions around root zone less. When watering, do not water in evening or when you know there is going to be a temperature drop. I hope some of this is helpful. It is what has worked for me to date. Always, a learning curve. Rick
...See More
Growing Adenium from seeds
Q
Comments (2)
I grow a few from seed. Like to use the same mix I grow the plants in. At least for me it's illogical to start a seed in a soil or mix you are not going to use to grow it. :-) Usually soak the seed in hot water anywhere from 2 to 24 hours depending on freshness. I sow into a communal pot (like a bulb pan) and lightly cover seed. It helps to create a high humidity like covering the container while they germinate. But not air tight or they will rot. I keep them at about 80 degrees F. and usually start sprouting in a few days. They will sprout faster if it is warm. randy
...See More
"Idiot's guide" for growing Adeniums with success?
Q
Comments (32)
I just saw this post and I started with adenium seeds around sept. In northern California. I killed alot before I found a method that works best for me. I really enjoy growing them hydroponically. I will later move them from a hydroponic system to smart pots. I'm not sure about my media mix. I started with a cactus mix that I added some perlite to. Didn't really measure it out. That ended tragically for that group of seeds. I kept them pretty moist. Growing in the off season lighting was a challenge. I ended up getting a tent to put my yearlings in that I purchased online, as well as my seedlings growing in soil media. As well as l.e.d lights. The media I use now is black Rose cactus mix mixed 1:1:1 with extra coarse perlite and pumice. I rinse my perlite and pumice first to get rid of the dust and real small pieces. Those seedlings are doing much better than the last. I like to grow arabicums and I believe I have some seeds that are socotranum arabicum mix. I water my seedlings in soil about 3 sometimes 4 times a week. The only experience I have had with obesum, they were about a year old and rotted almost right away. I think because the night time temps are much cooler than the day time temps in the summer here ,where they were outside. Arabicums seem to be more cold tolerant. My hydroponic seedlings grow much faster. The leaves grow faster than the ones in soil, and the caudex grow much plumper and not as tall. The seedlings I have in soil are growing slow and steady but look good the leaves are much smaller and have about half as many as my hydro seeds started about a week sooner. In soil the caudex grows a little longer but I got it down to where the caudex in the soil doesn't grow too much longer like my first set of seeds which looked etoliated and died. It has been alot of fun and you can see some pics of a few of my seedlings that are now around day 55 hydroponically if you search on houzz hydroponic adenium my thread will come up. I will be posting what my seeds look like around day 55 tomorrow when I have time. I also have an update on two weeks for my other hydro seeds started. And soon I will be posting my soil seeds. I can't wait til spring ! I have stopped starting seeds for the most part til then because it is getting harder to care for them all. Also i get brown spots on my leaves when I fertilize my yearlings and end up having to cut the leaves because I can't Handel looking at them. I need to use less fertilizer in my water when I fertilize them. Also come spring I want to use more organic material because of the fertilizer problem I have, and will probably only use a slow release 15-15-15. My sister in law has an obesum, it is in a plastic pot way smaller than it should be, in a mostly peat moss nursery mix. It sits in full sun and gets rain everyday, she neglects the hell out of it, but lives in Orlando, fl. I wish I had her problem with adeniums! That kind of shows how big a difference weather makes for these plants. I really enjoy everything I have learned from everyone on this forum. Now I need to get to taking some pics to post on my thread. Goodluck with your seedling!
...See More
Is one set of T5 lights strong enough to grow citrus, adeniums, etc?
Q
Comments (1)
Looks good. Are you concerned about electric costs? The cheapest improvement that you can make is to drape aluminized mylar sheets on the sides to reflect light onto the plants (if the chandelier isn't in the way). You could also cover the table top. For example, see https://www.google.com/shopping/product/6011491032648402877?q=%22aluminized+mylar%22&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&psj=1&biw=1150&bih=556&prds=paur:ClkAsKraX_Xb6ZOf1uMPWz4kugOECZzLUHXuqztkQuWUNZmPDZq3hSV78PnGhfZ8ugVM7Jx2UGcKRefxZxD_RCPMQNsRPc9MR7c6zy-ixQzTzn-aZZtPS9N87xIZAFPVH72malz44X_Tf9xBbzb-AwGaO0gMVQ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiojf-Vu_DLAhWpvIMKHTwECyAQ8wIIqQIwAA but, you should shop for the best price.
...See More
bronxfigs: New York City/7b
Original Author
5 years ago
Mesembs and whisst:

Perfect answers....short and sweet. Thanks for the quick replies. Cheaper is good provided it works. Apparently, by the answers, it does.

mesembs:

I had the idea of placing two of those square panels at 45 degrees to each other....like the roof of a house....over the plants, the tallest plants being under middle, i.e. closest to the "peak" and the shorter plants towards the bottom edge, or the "gutters". Then, all the plants can be closer to the full brightness of the lamps. That's my theory. Some sort of lighting has to be better than no lighting. These Adenium will not do well with a 6-8 month dormancy period. If I can keep them going thru the winter, I'll be happy.

Thanks for the suggestions and recommendations, kelvin colors, etc.

Frank

NYC/7b
kingd Z6A michigan
5 years ago
I have the same problems as you Frank, months of cold,snowy and cloudy winter, I have been trying to figure out a lighting solution also without spending a lot of money.
Elena
5 years ago
I’ve tried.... my first “adenium” winter I had all kinds of lights going... LED grow lights 120 and 45w, two fixtures LED full spectrum aquarium lights that I have left from salt water fishtank, and I also used full spectrum fluorescent spiral bulb. What I’ve learned from it is that it wasn’t really worth it. Sure it kept my adeniums alive, but growth was minimal, couple sets of skinny leaves and couple of scrawny blooms, but overal wasn’t worth the effort and electric bill. Those new winter grow tips were cut off in spring anyways. Oh, forget to mention that I put them all in spare bedroom, temps were 72-77F average. Babies under 1 y.o did ok but not great; baby minies that I kept under the dome on a heating mat and under 45w LED did great, grew like crazy! And baby Dorset Hornes from our last year grow out did great under the same set up as minies and then crocked all but one from dumping off disease. I wanted to cry!

So... back to my second “adenium” winter.... All plants were overwintered by the west facing windows and two Fluorescent lamp bulbs for the whole room. Plants under 1 y.o. were miserable, growth tips dried and they had a really hard time to get going in spring, and adults on the other hand did great, woke up in a spring happy and strong. What I’ve learned from it is... Adult plants will be fine either way, some even bloomed in Feb on a windowsill with once a week watering and nothing else. Babies and yearlings need lights and preferably heat mat, but if you want them to grow well through the winter, you should have grow tent set up with temps at least at mid 80s, air circulation (esp for babies) and light. All those lights I had going my first year could illuminate half of my neighborhood but adeniums did not grow much, they needed warmer temps. This winter my set up is minimal: babies will get heat mat and lights, adults will get... nothing, lol. I’ll be busy fighting with aphids and mites and I’m not looking forward to it. I’m sure other people are more successful with overwintering adeniums but for me - less is more, it’s too much work to go against Mother Nature. Happy growing and overwintering!

Grow-Lights For Adenium

Comments (5)

mesembs

whisst69

Related Discussions

bronxfigs: New York City/7b
Original Author

kingd Z6A michigan

Elena

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Grow-Lights For Adenium

Comments (5)

mesembs

whisst69

Related Discussions

bronxfigs: New York City/7bOriginal Author

kingd Z6A michigan

Elena

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

bronxfigs: New York City/7b
Original Author