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Gardening Area => Growing questions and answers => Topic started by: HulGil on February 07, 2016, 05:19:32 AM

Title: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: HulGil on February 07, 2016, 05:19:32 AM
I'm unsure if my windowsill provides sufficient lighting for my Oncidium cebolleta. It is a healthy color at my windowsill but has put on no new growth in over a month (the entire duration of time I've had it), so I'm wondering if it would be more appropriate to move it under my lights or into the patio...
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: plantlight on February 07, 2016, 01:28:29 PM
I don't know specifically about ceboletta but all of the orchids I have grow very slowly, including the oncidium.  I grow mine on the patio with no direct sunlight.  I've had it over a year and the only growth I see is new growth.  It's blooming now, so I think it's happy with it's environment.
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: HulGil on February 07, 2016, 06:11:40 PM
Thank you. Do you grow Oncidiums?
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: plantlight on February 07, 2016, 06:28:23 PM
Mostly have phalaenopsis but last year I decided to expend and picked up some cattleya, and one each of oncidium, dendrobium, maxillaria, and a BC daffodil that is now also blooming.   
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: HulGil on February 08, 2016, 12:31:44 AM
Oh okay.
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: BubbleCat on February 08, 2016, 12:43:24 AM
I have a oncidium, I think I showed it on here once in the early time of my membership. Mine are in the same condition as above: No direct light, low indirect light, slow growing but always busy producing new bulps.

(http://sharetheseeds.me/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1663.0;attach=7880)

Yes thats clover.
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: HulGil on February 08, 2016, 06:42:33 AM
Pretty cool that looks very nice. I love orchids.
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: LSoares on February 08, 2016, 12:18:32 PM
Oncidium cebolleta may be a little more light demanding, as its cylindrical leaves suggest, than other Oncidium. However, poor light will cause awkward growth rather than no growth at all. It may be due to the season (Oncidium (as most orchids) have seasonal growth), temperature, shock due to changing conditions, etc.
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: plantlight on February 08, 2016, 03:28:05 PM
Oncidium cebolleta may be a little more light demanding, as its cylindrical leaves suggest, than other Oncidium.
Good point and one probably some value in exploring whether short periods of morning or evening light is tolerated.
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: HulGil on February 08, 2016, 07:49:29 PM
Yeah, I think it's just a seasonal thing.
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: thunderhorse on February 10, 2016, 04:28:09 AM
so far so good and surviving winter indoors under 15w 6000k LED floodlights.. on the only patch of wall that ever sees the sun.

The last one i had wasnt bonsai'd like these two,... but didn't have enough light even in a south facing glass conservatory... and the piece of bamboo i got it in had fkd up the roots too much..

i just dunk them in the fishtank to feed/water them , only once ever so far..
 but then it's only been 3 or 4 months i think that I've had these new 2.. {if the pics work..}


Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: Bach on February 11, 2016, 02:38:56 AM
If I recall correctly Oncidium cebolleta grows on tree branches partway out from the trunk of the tree, but not at the tips of the branches either. As such it gets quite a lot of light but not all day direct sun.

The botanical garden I used to volunteer at had their big specimen in a greenhouse that had whitewashed glass and all day exposure. So very bright diffused light was what that particular plant got. It looked overexposed to me since it tended toward purplish coloration, but it bloomed very profusely so it must have been happy. It was also much larger than any others I have seen with 50 or more leaves on it.

Mind if I ask you guys where you sourced yours?
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: HulGil on February 11, 2016, 02:57:10 AM
Holy crap dude, your cacti are absolutely stunning that's my gardening goal right there. How long have you been growing cacti? Also, I thought I would be the only one growing cebolleta, but it's great to see your plants!
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: HulGil on February 11, 2016, 02:57:48 AM
Mind if I ask you guys where you sourced yours?

I just got mine from ebay, but the seller is out of stock currently.
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: BubbleCat on February 11, 2016, 03:06:38 AM
If its not for display reasons too white LEDs arent bery suitable for plant lighting. Check below, pay attention to the peaks. Around 450ish its not optimal but fine, elsewhere ...

A lot of green yellow in there :)
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: thunderhorse on February 11, 2016, 07:13:07 AM
thanks man , been cacteering for 4 years now .. or just about..
wishing you a fun passage to your cactaceal destiny!! , and safe fingers too :3

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

the LED being white has the byproduct of viewing ease but the real reason is a financial one ..
these lights cost £11.99 each
and the nice purple light ganja hans panels (area51 in usa) that i've been tryna afford for so long are gna be about £400+ just for 2 .... ;)
one day eh?

 yeah yeah i know but still use these floodlights regardless since i just got off the streets about 7 months ago and waiting to get a place with a garden .... so as you can see its helped em survive ... and i was only able to get my collection back thanks to the local cops ...

LED science is fun .....but low down on my list of things to do currently .
..but thanks all the same for the advice in case i wasnt aware already ..

just got a 30watt one for my rainforest box formicarium :3 only been in for 2 days , was £35...
(http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/uploads/monthly_02_2016/post-14443-0-84052400-1455065455.jpg)
(http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/uploads/monthly_02_2016/post-14443-0-28972200-1455065523.jpg)

anyhoo the 15watters are enough to make the oncidiums blush a bit since arrival and they had californian sun prior..
i was thinking ideally 8000k would be good for orchids in general...
 but seem to be getting away with this "poor-man's tek" sufficiently enough for now :)
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: BubbleCat on February 11, 2016, 10:06:14 PM
I feel bad when I start this over again :D buuut... that might most likely not be a 15 W device. I do not own one of those but I have heard many reports of theese lights (just like you have one) of their later generation utilizing a 15 W LED chip but not a ballast that drives the chip to its full power. One might assume it is a heat dissipation issue, as the chips heat is simply sunk into the housing. Now be careful as the same people (who obviously opened them to find out what kind of ballast they use) opened them and when doing so many found out theirs is NOT GROUNDED apparently for conveinience / cost and time saving reasons, wrong end to save something tho :D

If you're not shy of doing so crack one open, make sure its grounded and if needed do so, in a humid environment with plants (that are surprisingly conductive) this would give me  worries unless I made sure :D

Sorry again for going to bitch mode right away again I just dont like our members electrocuted :D Im glad it works for the orchids, beauties :)

Here is a good example of a chinese ebay "10 W" Led floodlight ... yiiikes ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbt2ojkXPuo
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: modern on February 12, 2016, 02:08:58 AM
Oncidium cebolleta can very bright indirect light like north facing window or outside shaded. I keep mine growing near a south facing patio overhead shaded. I like O. cebolleta due to being very drought tolerant compared to most orchids.

After the leaf/stem reaches a certain length it stops to grow(may thicken) and will start developing new bulbs. After the new bulb forms the growth rate is noticeable however does take some time to start growing.

I have started mine off in pure pumice and water once soak them once a week with just tap water (not hard) and once or twice a month I use some general fertilizer that I water all my plants with. I then replaced one on a flat wood slab with some moss and the roots are growing much healthier IMO then compared to pumice.

I'll post a picture tomorrow of mine. I split one stem and it has been slowly shriveling... hope it is putting its energy into a new bulb and will surprise me rather then just die. Hopefully I'll get some flowers come spring... I also have a Oncidium guianense miniature which has grown well which I haven't seen flower came with spent flower.

I've had mine for about a year.
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: modern on February 12, 2016, 07:50:39 PM
Not the best pictures but here they are... The roots of the pumice OC is more paper like and the one on the wood slab is thicker and seem healthier also quicker growing.
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: plantlight on February 12, 2016, 08:16:13 PM
The 4th picture is a different orchid.  That must be the Oncidium guianense miniature? ???
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: modern on February 12, 2016, 09:38:00 PM
The 4th picture is a different orchid.  That must be the Oncidium guianense miniature? ???

Yes  :)
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: LSoares on February 22, 2016, 01:04:09 PM
I love the equitant Oncidium (I believe they are Tolumna now?). I wish I had the weather to grow them.
Title: Re: Proper lighting for Oncidiums?
Post by: thunderhorse on February 23, 2016, 10:31:59 AM
I feel bad when I start this over again :D buuut... that might most likely not be a 15 W device. I do not own one of those but I have heard many reports of theese lights (just like you have one) of their later generation utilizing a 15 W LED chip but not a ballast that drives the chip to its full power. One might assume it is a heat dissipation issue, as the chips heat is simply sunk into the housing. Now be careful as the same people (who obviously opened them to find out what kind of ballast they use) opened them and when doing so many found out theirs is NOT GROUNDED apparently for conveinience / cost and time saving reasons, wrong end to save something tho :D

If you're not shy of doing so crack one open, make sure its grounded and if needed do so, in a humid environment with plants (that are surprisingly conductive) this would give me  worries unless I made sure :D

Sorry again for going to bitch mode right away again I just dont like our members electrocuted :D Im glad it works for the orchids, beauties :)

Here is a good example of a chinese ebay "10 W" Led floodlight ... yiiikes ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbt2ojkXPuo

these arent crap , took long to hunt down..,....and theyre all earthed well
ip65 rated and are 15watts and the new one is 30watts (and i know they are)..
theyre emergency cactlet salvation that worked so far ..  (which is the most important thing here)
and the rainforest box likes the all weather proof upgrade ( i just asked it and it totes said yeah)

if you dont like our members electrocuted then why are you suggesting i crack one open ?
this isn't some fly by night ebay shop i got these from .. dont be fooled by price i guess?..

and yeah i used to warn peeps with a youtube vid of some guy opening up a domestic light bulb from china off ebay with no earth...
 i think its all known now though and probably good advice for many who are new to LEDs..
-been using ip68 LEDs in aquariums without looking back for years now  ...
and following their progress since their very inception ..

perhaps your concerns are unwarranted and an oversight in my case?
thanks for looking out for us though ... :)

p.s. you can see theyre not a single chip like the crapper ones,
the power consumption is the wattage on these, not the output ... ;)

hmmm i need a kitty and mine recently died at 16 yrs and im going nuts without her ... , *grabs bubblecat and snugs* :3 mmm thats better ...
now that helps for sure #]

(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/38/65/32/386532f2b349b91809a5b3c25d7b4dbe.jpg)