The boom of new, effective, and inexpensive grow lights has filled many hobbyists with an excitement to expand their growing area into previously unusable spaces. However, the technology and terms behind these grow lights has created an equally large flood of confusion about "which light is right?" This talk explains how to navigate this newer method of growing without all the confusing terms and graphs. We also discuss several ways to use your new lights, ranging from organized, efficient setups to aesthetic, home-grown displays.

Nicholas Rust is an up-and-coming hybridizer in the orchid community. His orchid passion began in 2015 when a mini-Phalaenopsis was gifted to him. Like a flame to gasoline, this gift quickly pulled him into the diverse world of orchids. Shortly after his interests were formed, he began exploring the culture of several unique genera of terrestrial orchids. He now specializes in Habenaria and other related genera, jewel orchids, Australian terrestrial orchids, and Bulbophyllum. In 2019, this obsession bloomed into a small orchid nursery, RustyExotics Orchids, which he uses to share the wonders and beauty of his work.

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Through studying biochemistry and molecular biology during college, Nicholas approaches his orchids with the same scientific perspective he uses while working in a research lab. This led to an interest in the entire growth cycle of orchids and the start of his own hybridization program in 2018 which focuses mostly on terrestrial orchids, especially Habenaria. His aim is to use rarely cultivated species and distinct variations of species to create truly exceptional shapes and colors that will pave new directions for unique hybrids.