FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

So all my "indoor" CPs are grown under my 4 T5 HO lights. My cephs have started putting out redder pitchers and my het x minor pitchers that I received as plain green have new pitchers with red rims and the red line down the back.
Now I did have a d. Capensis under there as well and moved it for a few days to a windowsill (can't remember why) and notice it's new leaf was much redder than the rest. So I took my light measurer, lo and behold the windowsill is so much more light than the T5s!

Why is that and should I be growing my plants in the sun rather than under the light? I never imagined the T5s being so much weaker.

Here is under the windowsill


This is under T5 HOs

There is no more powerful or brighter light source than the sun. But it's really up to you and what your needs are. Would your cephs and helis get too hot on a windowsill? How many hours are you running your T5s?

(PS. Girl, your nail polish is cute!)

MrsMuscipula wrote:There is no more powerful or brighter light source than the sun. But it's really up to you and what your needs are. Would your cephs and helis get too hot on a windowsill? How many hours are you running your T5s?

(PS. Girl, your nail polish is cute!)

What she said. Even on a cloudy day.

N giiirl that sho is cute nail polish:p!

Bahahaha thanks on the nail polish comments so I moved half my helis to the window sill. I put them on a little table and have the glass part open and they're actually not nearly as warm as they get under the light. I run the T5s for about 12 hours (I've been progressing up an hour every week or so). It's a weird situation for me now haha. I feel like some of the plants are doing just find under the light but I think I'm going to do some experiments with my doubles to see if there's are difference between growing in the sun or in the t5s.
Thanks guys

Yeah, I'll agree. Diffusion is the issue with your indoor lighting. You could try and 'focus' that light with reflective surfaces which will improve the light reading but that looks really low for 4 - t5s.

You will, however, never beat the sun.

cyph3r_gfy wrote: You could try and 'focus' that light with reflective surfaces which will improve the light reading but that looks really low for 4 - t5s.

You will, however, never beat the sun.

I think that's your answer.