Andrew sounds like your addiction is getting pretty bad. lol You really want to use metal halide instead of high pressure sodium bulbs for vegetative growth and switch to or add HPS when they reach blooming size. MH bulbs provide a broader light spectrum, including blues while HPS emit the reds and yellows only and are best used in conjunction with natural light. The HPS bulbs do last quite a bit longer then MH.

Hi Karen,
Your absolutly right but I do have some natural light and the light I got was almost $300.00 and still the most affordable. I really can't complain though karen. I have seen great vegatative growth so far and I was also told that I could supplement it with an LED light but I was encouraged to give it one season before I decide on buying another light set up.

My tropical fruit trees was the main reason why I bought it and both of my Oro Blanco grapefruit trees are actually growing more now, than they did all summer! I don't get that Karyn! I always thought that the sun's natural light would be a 100% better than any artificial lighting. My mango tree not only has not dropped any leaves but is also getting ready to go thru another growth flush.
One of my proudest achievments has been my having my new Penang Peach plumeria continue to bloom and hold the flowers for over a week and the best one, the Bird of Paradise!
Karen, I have tried for many MANY years to get a bird of paradise to bloom for me and I have never been able to do it. My first experience with a bird was a plant that I bought in Scottsdale AZ. I had it for ten years and I was doing everything right but no flowers. I got rid of that one and I bought this one blooming 2 years ago and it did rebloom last winter but i didn't have sufficient lighting and the buds turned brown and died. With this HPS light, I have had new leaves grow about every 2 weeks. Since I have had it under that light, I have had about 5 new leaves grow which was way more than I got during the summer.

It is really weird to me to hear that this light isn't used for vegatative growth. Karen, is it possible that they have done something to the bulbs on the HPS to get better vegatative growth? IF the HID light produced better growth than this does, I really think I would be in serious trouble. During the winter, I really try to just keep my plants happy and healthy. Now, some of my tropical fruit trees will bloom during the winter months. Ny citrus with the exception of the 'Dancy' tangerine, and my rare 'Maha Chinook' mango tree will also bloom during the winter. I also have seen that this light is good for ripening fruit.

I am going to go with the same lights that Kathy uses for her brugs once they have all rooted. She uses the flouescents and she told me that she can keep her cuttings growing and her large brugs blooming. The only reason why my brugs cuttings are under the HPS is because not only do they seem to be loving it right now, but because the light itself runs so hot, it has raised the soil temperature which in turn will help the cuttings root faster.

I really appreciate your input Kathy. Do you use HID lights yourself?
I also grow plumeria and I have been trying to let all the newbies on the GW's plumeria forum and the Aloha Plumeria Group know that these kinds of lights are really an investment that they should make because in just the short month and a half I have been using mine, I have seen a HUGE effect on the over all health of all my tropicals!

Oh, and I was wondering if you had any cuttings left?
Thanks Karyn,
Andrew

O.M.gosh- you fiend Andrew! I think you have every brug that I have- except the yellow/orange, and I'm sending them to you next week. But don't feel so bad- I'm right behind you in craving brugs- but I'm tired of packing & shipping them. So the answer is no- I'm finished for this year! Sorry bud!
I think I used a daylight floursecent bulb alongside a plant bulb. Best wishes!
kasha77

Andrew I think some of the cuttings might be salvageable : ) I cut away all the mushy stem and stuck the cuttings in soil to see if they'll root. They definitely aren't the nicest looking cuttings. lol

Citrus, papayas, mangos, passion fruit, guavas, dragon fruit and a few others have produced well for me with artificial light over the winter. Sapote, annona, lychee, rambutan and several others have not but I had a freeze a couple years ago and lost quite a bit. The citrus, papayas and mangos (dwarf grafted) are by far the best producers in the GH for me. My dragon fruit has always tasted like paste but it's pretty. My cacao bloomed all summer but no pods. I finally got a couple babacos (TY Eloise & Randy) which did bud but the fruit dropped very early on.

MH and HPS are both high intensity discharge (HID) lights but have different spectrums. The MH bulbs have a more complete spectrum and the blues are best for vegetative growth whereas HPS is the red end of the spectrum and is used for fruit/flower growth. HPS only bulbs can cause leggy growth if there's not enough natural light available.

I have 2 HID systems and use mainly 1000 watt MH bulbs. I have one switch able ballast that can accommodate both MH and HPS bulbs. The other is just for MH bulbs. I sometimes use HPS bulbs in the greenhouse but the HID lights generate so much heat that I prefer HO fluorescents in the GH's and for starting seeds. HID bulbs should be 4' away from the plants so they aren't great for starting seeds or small cuttings. Please tell me that you spent $300 for an entire system, (ballast, bulb and reflector) not just the bulb. Do you know if you have a switch able ballast? If so you should invest in a MH light. The bulbs themselves aren't terribly expensive and you can get a good one for well under $50. It's the ballast that's the pricy component.

Cross your fingers. Hopefully the cuttings will root. I can send you a couple as is but can't guarantee that they'll root.

I want to add, do a lot more research on the LED's before investing in a set up. I first came across them a couple years ago and thought they were just so cool looking and was considering getting some. I'm glad that I didn't as I haven't heard anything good about them and a set up is quite expensive, more then HID's. The T5 flourescents are good IMO. This sounds terrible but I've gotten some of the best info on indoor growing systems on the marijuana growing sites.

Andrew - OMG!! LOL you are too funny! And you are indeed a brug fiend!!

Hi Kathy! I love my brug cuttings. I still have a few in water but the ones I potted up are responding well. Thank you!

Karyn - LOL but I think it's great that you're learning a great deal from those web sites. Maybe I need to go visit there as well...lol

Happy growing Everyone!

-Bo

Hi Karen,
I don't have the interchangeable ballast but yep, I did buy the entire system. That was the only reason I bought it and I got it from HID HUT and they have been excellent with me. I highly recommend them to anyone who wants an afordable light system because mine so far has been wonderfull. I keep my light about 2 feet away from most of my plants. I have plumeria cuttings that are really close to them but I did that because the plumeria prefer to have soil temps around 70 to 80 degrees for optimum rooting. I have found LED lights for super cheap but i really don't need to buy an HID light. I have been really amazed at how well my plants have been performing, along with my cuttings of exotic plants. My plumeria are actually actively growing under the HPS light so that to me shows just how well my light is working for me.

Kathy,
I wanted you to know that my cuttings are really doing great! I didn't check them all because they are so tightly fit onto my table that it really takes some time and manuevering to lift out each pot. I can water each of them with no troubles so that isn't a problem.I actually wasn't asking you for more cuttings Kathy, I am fine with not getting more cuttings from you. I would not dream of asking you for more than the yellow noids. You have been so good to me, and I will not foget it!

Karyn,
What nursery do you use for your tropical fruit trees? I have gone thru Top in Florida but next time I will go thru Pine. I like Four Winds for my citrus trees. The trees are not cheap but there quality is great.
I sent you an email. Let me know if you didn't get it okay?

Hi Bo,
I BLAME YOU FOR NEEDING MY BRUGS FIX!! YOU JUST HAD TO GET ME TO TRY THEM DIDN'T YOU, AND NOW, I CANNOT GET ENOUGH!!! I AM GOING TO SEND YOU MY BILL FOR THE BRUGS RECOVERY CENTER, LMAO!!
ANDREW

I agree that Four Winds is the best for citrus. I've been buying from them for years. I also like Pine Island for other fruiting trees and have bought from them a few times but have never personally visited the nursery. I should because I usually pick up trees while in FL and have them shipped home or have one of DH's suppliers send them to me. I got your email and responded. I don't care for TT. Here's a great grow light guide. I'm not saying to buy from this company, though I have, but this is one of the best guides that I've found.

Here is a link that might be useful: Grow Light Guide

You're funny Andrew! I am sure I can speak for all of us- we love your enthusiasim!
kasha77