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Carnivorous Plants/LIGHTING
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Question
WE HAVE A HPS 400 WATT HOW FAR UP DO YOU KEEP THEM FROM THE PLANTS
Hello Jana,
Due to the heat output of those lights you will have to place them at least 2 feet above your plants to keep them from burning. One other potential problem is to ensure that the HPS light is the enhanced type that emits blue spectrum light for leaf growth. If it does not emit much blue light you might see some rather odd leaf growth occasionally. Either augment the light with a window or other florescent light system that emits a wider range of light. The good thing about the HPS is that, at that wattage, it produces near sun intensity lumen output at close range, so you should be able to grow most any plant in a small area under the light.
Place a thermometer among your plants and arrange the height of the light to provide the best lighting with the best overall temperatures for your plants. A fan works to provide air movement and keep heat from building up too much as well.
Christopher
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Answers by Expert:
Christopher Littrell
Expertise
I am capable of answering questions about the most common carnivorous plants found in cultivation. I have no personal experience with Byblis, Drosophyllum, Aldrovanda, and Heliamphora. I have not cultivated gemmae forming pygmy sundews nor tuberous sundews. For information regarding those aforementioned species, I would suggest contacting other experts. I can answer questions regarding most species of Nepenthes, tropical and temperate Drosera, Mexican Pinguicula, Sarracenias, and Dionaea. I have some limited experience with growing Utricularia, Cephalotus, and Darlingtonia.
Experience
I have grown carnivorous plants off and on for about 27 years. I have made the same mistakes and suffered the same mishaps that many growers make as they attempt to separate the myths from the realities of growing these plants. Currently, I am successfully growing a variety of tropical sundews, a Nepenthes, several Venus Flytraps of varying ages, and Sarracenias. I have been successful in stratifying Sarracenia seeds and providing artificial dormancy requirements for my temperate plants when needed.
Education/Credentials
I hold a Master's degree in Educational Psychology. Over my lifetime, I have constantly read books involving the growing conditions of carnivorous plants. I hope to incorporate the educational aspects involved in psychology with teaching other people how to cultivate carnivorous plants.
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