For the past several years I have bought all of my garden plants from a local nursery. I have tried starting plants from seed but I do not have a good place indoors to set them that gets a lot of sunlight,so I thought about using some grow lights but I dont know a whole lot about them. Anybody on here use them? Did you buy them or build your own? Thank you for your help.
- Thread starter Jason S.
- Start date
Brendon Warren
Well-known Member
Just a regular four foot flouresant with bulbs for
plants will work fine to start plants. Set it up so
you can set the light close to the plants and raise
it higher as they grow.
plants will work fine to start plants. Set it up so
you can set the light close to the plants and raise
it higher as they grow.
How many and what kind of plants are you thinking of growing? I have grown thousands of plants in the basement using ordinary cool white fluorescents. I only grew vegetable plants, usually 10x20 inch flats, 48 plants each.
Get some ordinary 4-bulb T8 fixtures at the big box and suspend from adjustable chains over a table. You have to keep the lamps right over the plants, like 1" away; raise as the plants grow.
For easy to transplant vegs like tomato start the seedlings in a covered pie pan or something and then transplant to flats later. You can germinate without light, but as soon as they start to crack the surface move under lights.
You can use special grow tubes, or T5 fixtures for more efficiency but I don't think it's worth the cost for homeowner use. Just keep the fixture clean and replace bulbs as soon as output diminishes.
Get some ordinary 4-bulb T8 fixtures at the big box and suspend from adjustable chains over a table. You have to keep the lamps right over the plants, like 1" away; raise as the plants grow.
For easy to transplant vegs like tomato start the seedlings in a covered pie pan or something and then transplant to flats later. You can germinate without light, but as soon as they start to crack the surface move under lights.
You can use special grow tubes, or T5 fixtures for more efficiency but I don't think it's worth the cost for homeowner use. Just keep the fixture clean and replace bulbs as soon as output diminishes.
Eldon (WA)
Well-known Member
We start all of our plants in a little 3 shelf 2' x 4' grow stand using the 4' fluorescent lights. I bought the cheap 2 bulb units and use a warm and cool bulb in each to cover a larger light spectrum. The stand is enclosed and we also use heated mats under the trays. Seedlings are transplanted when about an inch or two tall into Styrofoam cups and put on the porch. Later they get put into bigger pots and go in my portable greenhouses till the weather permits transplanting.
fixerupper
Well-known Member
Watch what you grow in your basement. LOL In my neighborhood there was a house with grow lights in the basement and One day the law came and took away the grow lights and plants, and the occupants too for that matter. I was combining wheat under a street light somewhere, I don't remember where, and I noticed the wheat was taller under the street light so evidently it doesn't necessarily take a grow light to grow plants although a grow light might grow them faster than a regular light.
Geo-TH,In
Well-known Member
Jason,
I've tried using 4 ft grow lights with little
sucess. I too am looking for something that will
produce the lumens equal to the sun light.
The new businesses in Colorado know how to grow
plants in doors. I'm going find out what kind of
light they are using. No plans to grow that they
grow. I want to stay out of jail.
I've tried using 4 ft grow lights with little
sucess. I too am looking for something that will
produce the lumens equal to the sun light.
The new businesses in Colorado know how to grow
plants in doors. I'm going find out what kind of
light they are using. No plans to grow that they
grow. I want to stay out of jail.
wilson ind
Well-known Member
some of the folks in colorado might be best to
ask!!!!!!!!! lol
ask!!!!!!!!! lol
Texasmark1
Well-known Member
I am using 2' neon grow lights in pairs on one fixture from Home
Depot and having fabulous results. Lights are about 18" above
plants and between the heat from them and the foliage that is
under the lights I have to water them every other day.....test the
soil for being damp, not wet, not dry.
Feed is via Miracle Grow plant food spikes which numerous
retailers stock including HD. Stick some in the dirt, number
dependent upon size of plant, every couple of months.
I am growing the most gorgeous roses I have ever grown with no
bugs, disease or anything to distract from the abstract beauty of
this gorgeous flowering plant.
Mark
Depot and having fabulous results. Lights are about 18" above
plants and between the heat from them and the foliage that is
under the lights I have to water them every other day.....test the
soil for being damp, not wet, not dry.
Feed is via Miracle Grow plant food spikes which numerous
retailers stock including HD. Stick some in the dirt, number
dependent upon size of plant, every couple of months.
I am growing the most gorgeous roses I have ever grown with no
bugs, disease or anything to distract from the abstract beauty of
this gorgeous flowering plant.
Mark
I'm the same as you...I've tried for the last couple of years to grow tomato plants from seed and haven't had much luck. All I'm after is vegetable plants...I'll leave the pharmaceutical stuff to people in Colorado. Although after looking online it seems as though some of them are fans of the high pressure sodium bulbs. I guess if it works good for that stuff then it should work good for tomatoes...
Eldon (WA)
Well-known Member
If you plan on growing tomatoes using pot growing lights you are going to have some expensive tomatoes!
onefarmer
Well-known Member
- Location
- 6735 S Lowell Rd, St Johns, Mi 48879
I do almost like TL said 4' florescent with one cool white, one warm white. They each give a different spectrum of UV light. I'm cheap so I use the bottom of a milk jug for a pot. Set the light on some paint cans is about the right height to start. I have it all in the basement, no sunlight. Always starts tomatoes just fine. Have started peppers, cabbage, cukes, and melon. When the weather gets better I set them outside in the shade for an hour per day to start, working up longer each day.
Brad Buchanan
Member
Hey Jason.
I have a box set up to grow vegetable plants for
the garden.
I use t-8 fixtures with regular lamps. I have the
lamps on the side of the box (multiple fixtures)
as I have found that having the lights above the
plants make them get too leggy.
Inside of the box painted white. Heated and lights
are on a timer.
Brad
I have a box set up to grow vegetable plants for
the garden.
I use t-8 fixtures with regular lamps. I have the
lamps on the side of the box (multiple fixtures)
as I have found that having the lights above the
plants make them get too leggy.
Inside of the box painted white. Heated and lights
are on a timer.
Brad
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