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Up to date lighting infomation
Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 10:35 pm
by BlueTinge
I have been looking all over the web for advice on overwintering trichocereus cacti & been trying to see if its possible to even grow them during winter. What I have read for the most part is that its possible to an extent with 600w HPS or CFL lamps but a lot of people have said due to the cost of eletric it's not really worth it & they just let their cacti go dormant. These threads I have been reading we're years & years ago & now LED's are far better than they used to be so the question is could someone now a days grow trichocerues/echinopsis under a good LED & have success? What would the recommended LED wattage/output be? I know if you started from seed or bought young cuttings & grew them under LED's you could grow succesfully but they wouldn't be as thick and healthy as a 'standard' trichocereus, is this the only way to grow them to an extent? I'm guessing a mature cutting put under even a decent LED would still etoliate? Thanks!
Re: Up to date lighting infomation
Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 1:16 am
by Steve Johnson
Re: Up to date lighting infomation
Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 8:13 am
by BlueTinge
Its a location link? I'm in the UK.
Re: Up to date lighting infomation
Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 5:37 pm
by One Windowsill
I would put them beside an LED or two rather than under. Side-lighting would be more effective for columnar plants.
I have no experience growing cacti under lights but my stapeliads seem happy with the amount of light they get from Philips household lightbulbs. 7 x 13W over half of a square metre with reflectors all round. Some tanned a bit too much and had to be moved away to the sides.
Trichocereus need to be shaded in countries with strong sunlight so I would imagine it would be easy to give them sufficient light. Don't forget they need air movement as well.
Re: Up to date lighting infomation
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 6:16 am
by greenknight
Cacti need a dormant period to set flower buds:
http://www.cactus-art.biz/note-book/Dic ... r_rest.htm
It's best if the do have good light during this rest, but the photoperiod should be shortened to winter hours. LEDs should be good for this, since they don't radiate heat. Household warm-white LEDs work just fine, the red/blue grow lights are not superior, see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HawgP5SXPko
The link Steve Johnson gave was about adding your location to your profile so it will appear automatically under your avatar.