UV LIGHTING

[homer]

I saw a website tonight where the growers were using UV lighting for their Pings.  That jogged my memory a bit, and now I recall reading that Sunpitchers are exposed to high UV levels.  So, I was wondering if anyone was using UV lighting for their plants?  I know people use them for reptiles, but I wonder if buying a Repti-Sun 5.0 Fluorescent tube or something similar would benefit sunpitchers??

Homer

 

[rubrarubra]

Hi Homer,
I read a book on greenhouses once that said the plants don't really need the UV light. In fact, most greenhouse glazings (coverings) cut out UV light while the plants grow quite well.
Hope this helps,
Peter

 

[Nepenthe]

Quote[/b] ]I know people use them for reptiles, but I wonder if buying a Repti-Sun 5.0 Fluorescent tube or something similar would benefit sunpitchers??

I am no expert, but I think most people use UV lights for reptiles at night to simulate moonlight and provide some heat... At least, that's what I was told when I er... "grew" a few scorpions several years ago (yes I know they are not reptiles). I was reading a Nepenthes FAQ that mentioned UV lights. The author sermised that they would not be very useful unless you were experimenting with simulating moonlight or something along those lines.

this is a different website
http://agnews.tamu.edu/stories/HORT/Nov2798a.htm

This website has a basic Photosynthetic Active Radiation graph with a table of specific wavelength ranges (and a summary of lights):
http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/guide3.shtml
It mentions that anything at or under 315 nm (very untra violet) is harmful to the plant. The most significant areas are 400-520nm (UV) and even more so from 610-720.
I only wish I know the PAR of the lights that we always discuss (GE Daylight, cool white, Gro-Lux, generic, UV, etc) I suppose it would not take to long to find that info.. but I'm feeling lazy right now.
-t

 

[Tony Paroubek]

Chlorophyll A which is the primary compound for absorbing sunlight peaks at 435nm and again at 675nm.

The range is considered roughly 400-470 and 650-700. UV however is considered 380nm and less. UV does nothing for plant growth and if anything is potentially harmful to both you and the plants!

Tony

 

[homer]

Thanks everyone.

Homer

 

[pond boy]

Uv lighting is whats mainly responsible in hot summer sun for drying out and killing plant material.!

 

[JanW]

You are right on the photosynthesis, but I think UV radiation let the plants get their red color. After I changed my lights against some new ones including a UV radiation part in the spectrum, all my plants got much redder. The wattage was the same...

Jan

 

[NickHubbell]

I found these websites.

From Nasa:
UV Radition Effects on Plants and Animals

UV light effects on bedding plants (good and bad):
UV light and bedding plants.

UV and the Environment:
NSF Polar Programs UV Monitoring Network

 

[Khai]

UV a and UV b are incorperated into reptile lamps specifically because they need it for vitamin D3 synthesis which they then use to assimilate calcium from thier diet. It would be a serious waste of money trying to grow using these lamps, with no real benefits.