Am I inhibiting the CAM cycle?

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rrozzi
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2014 10:27 pm

Am I inhibiting the CAM cycle?

Post by rrozzi »

In my new apartment I have a balcony which really only gets sunlight for about two hours in the evening as the sun sets. My potted cacti and succulents seem to be happy with the amount of light, but they've ceased to grow and proliferate - some people would like this situation, I am not one of them! I have several white CFLs I can use on them at night, but here is my question:

With CAM plants, isn't nocturnal opening of stomata and exchange of gases mitigated by light? Do I need to worry about my plants never getting a truly dark night during which they can sequester CO2? Should I instead just shine the CFLs on my plants during the hours in which they would be getting sunlight if it weren't blocked by larger more illustrious apartment buildings?

Thanks for your help!
DaveW
Posts: 7376
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:36 pm
Location: Nottingham, England/UK

Re: Am I inhibiting the CAM cycle?

Post by DaveW »

I think temperature plays it's part too since they seen to need a difference between day and night temperatures in summer, but this is more Ian and Phil's field than mine.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&l ... &q&f=false" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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cortez753
Posts: 199
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2013 11:24 pm
Location: Longmont, Colorado. Zone 5b

Re: Am I inhibiting the CAM cycle?

Post by cortez753 »

rrozzi wrote: Should I instead just shine the CFLs on my plants during the hours in which they would be getting sunlight if it weren't blocked by larger more illustrious apartment buildings?

Of course, yes.
rrozzi
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2014 10:27 pm

Re: Am I inhibiting the CAM cycle?

Post by rrozzi »

This looks like a bountiful read, thanks for the reference!
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