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Photoperiods

seedjar

Let's positive thinking!
Hey there, I was just wondering when artificial light growers were planning on changing their photoperiods for the spring.
I've already begun to notice the change in day lengths here, and I'm guessing my plants have too. Or they're just freaking out because I always turn on the lamp next to them at night when I'm going in and out of the kitchen. In either case, I think I'm ready to start leaving the lights on longer.
~Joe
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (seedjar @ Feb. 12 2005,10:53)]Hey there, I was just wondering when artificial light growers were planning on changing their photoperiods for the spring.
I've already begun to notice the change in day lengths here, and I'm guessing my plants have too. Or they're just freaking out because I always turn on the lamp next to them at night when I'm going in and out of the kitchen. In either case, I think I'm ready to start leaving the lights on longer.
~Joe
For the growing shelves I just built, I have the timer set from 7 am to 1 am.

Not that I know what I am doing...
 
I keep mine set 6pm - 9am (15hrs/day) 365/year.
 
So your lights are on all night? What happens during the day?
~Joe
 
During the day in the summer the air-conditioner runs all day long for the sake of my wife's health, she has MS. So as not to spend money on electricity to cool the house and run lights that produce heat that warms the house at the same time, that is why I run the lights at night only. In the summer here in Tucson, AZ it is at or near 100F nearly every day. It drops 20 or more degrees every night.
 
Ah, I see. And with 15 hours of light a day, do you any of your plants not flower or display any other strange behavior? I would prefer to just leave my lights on all day, but I thought that having them timed would help my Pings, Utrics and Drosera to flower and go in and out of dormancy as needed.
~Joe
 
Mine are on 9am to 2am. Occasionally later if I happen to be up late burning on a deadline...
 
Mine are on 6AM-9PM

No real scientific reason but wish I were a techie geek who could adjust my lighting with the seasons and automatically adjust photoperiod accordingly. Anybody design an "easy way of doing that?"

Kirk

P.S. Bill my A. konjac just shot up 1.5' and growing fast.
 
mine are on a 13 hour day, 11 night. dont know why, thats just what i set the timers for when i first got them a year ago. it seems to work well. my Drosera color up nicely and most will flower. my Pings are in more or less continual flower like that of African violets. most of my Utrics(other than a few known slow pokes) are spreading fast, with several species putting out blooms more or less year round and i generally have something new blooming once a month or so. my Nepenthes are growing fine and there leaves and pitchers color up nicely. the orchids i grow amoungst the CPs bloom intermittedly. i guess i use the 13 hour day cause i have seen no reason to change it.
 
  • #10
My lights are on 15 hours around the year, no problems and great growth+colouration.

Cheers,
Jan
 
  • #11
Lights for the seedlings, 24/7 on the lights for 2 full years. After that, they live with their parents and settle into normal routine. 24 hr. light does not seem to bother them, and they get huge in just one year. As much as 12 to 14 inches high. Then going into a "normal" living arrangement with dormancy, they mature at 4 to 6 years instead of 5 to 7 years. They have never suffered any ill effects, and grow like weeds. BUG weeds!!!!!!! All sarracenia seedlings!
 
  • #12
I've heard about that... Hmm... what types of seedlings are you talking about, Bugweed? I'm guessing Sarracenia. Maybe some other temperates? What kind of temperatures do you give those guys if they're under lights? Is that indoors? I've got some Darlingtonia, Drosera and Sarracenia stratifying on my porch, but my porch has kind of lousy light - it's super bright but all from the south and west. I was considering building a lit hutch for them.
Help me out Bugweed. I must know of your masterful skill.
~Joe
 
  • #13
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Bugweed @ Feb. 15 2005,12:06)]Lights for the seedlings, 24/7 on the lights for 2 full years. After that, they live with their parents and settle into normal routine. 24 hr. light does not seem to bother them, and they get huge in just one year.
Interesting. Please tell us more about this!
I always thought that would harm plants.

Cheers,
Jan
 
  • #14
Oh hell no,
I 24hr any that aren't blooming. When I want blooms I go to 11 on and 13 off in a seperate room. I try to only bloom in the summer when they are outside, that way they have better blooms in my opinion. I grow much more epi-cactus than anything and grow them in 24hr light then when Feb 1st comes I drop to 11 on and 13 off. Then increase slowly and this sets buds then they by the time its warm enough outside they go there and actually bloom outside. When they come in for Fall/Winter the light goes back up to 24hr and the cycle starts again. I haven't had any problems with 24hr light.

Joe
 
  • #15
So Joe, you mean to say that you drop straight from 24 hours a day to 11 hours a day, and then increase gradually from 11 to get them to bud?
And I've been meaning to ask you (as I've heard you're the exotic cactus guy) - do you know anything about Jatrophas? In particular I have a J. podagrica that I'm trying to propogate, and I can't find squat for information.
~Joe
 
  • #16
Yes,
That is correct! I have found no ill effects yet. Though there may be a long term effect that I have yet to encounter.

Jatropha I know is a S. African succulent. The African succulents, I am very UNfamiliar with. I would try www.desert-tropicals.com , but your best bet is to actually buy or borrow a book geared toward them.

Joe
 
  • #17
Hehe, I had a feeling you'd say that. I've looked for books about them but had little luck... my succulent books have the most vague instructions imaginable. Thanks for the tip on the light, though - I'll have to commandeer some more space for a 24hr-light rack.
smile.gif

~Joe
 
  • #18
If you want a good botanical cactus book; Check out Dr. Edward Andersons last publication, I don't remember the name of the book but its a monster. Also in the comming months the New Cactus Lexicon is being released the latest official compendium by the Director of International Cactaceae Taxonomic Systematics Group Dr. Hunt. (no relation). This will be 2 books, 1) is a Lexicon and 2) is an Atlas with Photos and Field data.

Joe
 
  • #19
So Joe, which plants do you have on 24-hour light? I checked with Bugweed, and he was just referring to starting Sarracenia (if any of you are interested, he also suggested a heat mat at eighty degrees Fahrenhiet.) I was wondering if I could get away with putting my other CPs on this schedule, particularly my Drosera. I know lots of other plants can tolerate constant light, so I figure it's probably worth trying...
~Joe
 
  • #20
Well,

The only rule is there are no rules. The other rule is that failure is inevitable, don't be mad if a plant dies in an unnatural situation even if it was previously successfull. To be honest with you; my Sarrs are outside year round and my Ceph sits in a window with only natural day hours. My Neps are under 24hr lights, other than that I don't collect Utric, Ping, etc. only pitcher plants except I don't have a Cobra. So I couldn't tell ya anything about them, except try it with common abundant plants. If anything it'll just make a plant that won't bloom for a while. Remember that if you keep a plant on 24 hr light (growth cycle), it needs nutrition. Also a plant in constant growth needs better light than dormant plant. Depending on the plant though. Nepenthes are the only CP I have under artificial light.
Bugweeds right about the bottom heat being beneficial to root formation and continued growth. If I use it (occasionally) I set it at 78 F.


Good Luck
Joe
 
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