My light that I used last year, now has this year's seedlings under it
Last year I only had one 4' fluorescent light. It really isn't enough for me. I had to squish the seedlings. I had to ferry some from window to window throughout the day. I had to put some outside before the best time for it. I decided this year I really needed one or two more lights. So I got one more to see if it is enough. I was hoping to buy the same kind as last time. My old one is a T8 shoplight that has a nice 8" wide reflector, 10" would have been better, but 8" was good.
I couldn't find one. I found one that was gray. That wouldn't reflect much light. I found one without a reflector at all. And they had one that had a 12" reflector. That seemed a bit big but was better than too small. Sadly it as also more costly. I got it anyway. I'm going to have to add it to the tally next Monday.
New light next to the dryer
I hung the light from one of the shelves I stole from my garage. I moved it into the laundry room with the other seedlings. The laundry room seems like a good spot for it. The space is pretty big and get lots of light from all the windows.
While I was in a shopping mood, I also got another timer. This way I can grow my onions that can't see long days (my onions are long day onions and will start to bulb if they see daylight of a certain length - usually 14-16 hours) and I can grow my other crops that will benefit from long days of light - like my tomatoes. I'll probably have to put some cardboard over it so that it will not see the light from the other side of the laundry room.
Being in the laundry room will certainly help things germinate. You're right, lights ain't cheap these days, and I guess my setup cost around $200.
ReplyDeleteBefore we moved here, I had a 75 gallon tropical planted, fresh water aquarium. The tank is in the garage now, unused. With all of our overcast this winter, we needed a little supplemental lighting, but lights aren't cheap. I took the light hood off the fish tank, as it's already fitted with 4 UV plant bulbs, and voila! It's now repurposed for seedlings! So if you're ever looking for extra lighting, it might be worth watching the classifieds for aquarium light hoods. They're often cheap (used), and actually work great!
ReplyDeleteLooks good! I was planning on adding a florescent setup this spring. Now with the computer cost escalating there will be no grow light budget this year. Poor plants will be squashed again this year.
ReplyDeleteI admire your dedication so much. You make me feel positively lazy!
ReplyDeleteEG, well my set up is nothing like yours. It is just a simple little thing.
ReplyDeleteCurbstone Valley Farm, that is a nice solution. I've never had fish that needed lights before. Once I had to over winter my fish from my water garden outside, but goldfish are so hardy. They didn't get real plants in their bowl.
Dan, too bad. I'm sure your plants will grow just fine though. Mine would have done OK too, but I figured with more room they would be better.
Tanya, thanks
I could have used more lighting this year but will have to make do with what I have. Budgetwise, I have my extenders to think about.
ReplyDeleteYou have me wondering if my onions are getting enough light. I was giving them around 12 h at the moment. I know one is an intermediate-day, the other doesn't mention. I guess I'll have to check it out.
I know how you feel. I'm already considering putting in another shelf of lights. My problem is that certain plants are getting too tall and I don't want to move the lights up because others are still small.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I noticed that the shop light selection at my local hardware store was limited as well.
Beautiful shelving and the new light is nice and long so you can fit quite a bit under it. I broke down and finally purchased another bank of lights this year too. I have been needing to for some time now but kept talking myself out of the expenditure. The need was getting too great though and I got over my financial hesitation and just did it. The extra is small and nothing fancy but it gives me just the additional space and options that I needed.
ReplyDeleteYour garden season looks like it is really getting under way now.
Daphne, you pictures are really helpful for me. Last year I put my seedlings under florescent lights but the fixture was way up and my seedlings lacked the required light.
ReplyDeleteInterested what you mentioned about the onions. I have read opposing statements on this early bulb formation. I am hoping it won't be a problem for me, my onions see more than 12 hours of light, though it is not all from the shop lights, some of it is room lighting and natural daylight. Have you had a crop fail from too much light early on?
ReplyDeleteHi Daphne,
ReplyDeleteI've read your blog for a few months and this is the first time I've commented. You have a great blog!
I found it very interesting that you mentioned the number of hours that you keep your lights on. I think that explains something weird I've seen with some of my seedlings.
This is the first time I've grown seedlings under lights. I had read online that I should keep the lights on for 12-14 hours a day. So, that's what I've been doing. I live in Southern California near the coast. So, I started my cucumber and melon seedlings awhile ago. The weather has been too rainy to put them outside, so, they've been staying under the lights. The funny thing is that they started to have blooms and they are only about 5 inches tall. I moved them into pots and put them outside a week ago and they're blooming like crazy. Isn't that a litte too soon? Did having the lights on so long make them bloom too early?
Happy gardening,
Chris
hmm I seem to have not responded. I'll at least answer the questions:
ReplyDeleteKelly, I've never used more than 12 hours myself. I know that the long day onions do bulb at 14-16 hours of light a day, so I just try to stay away from that.
Chris, the hours listed are only for onions since they bulb with certain lengths of light. For the cucumbers and melons, I'd give them 14-16 hours a day. They like the long days. These plants should only be grown inside from a few weeks. They really don't do as well if they are inside longer. Once their first one or two true leaves are out, they go to the garden. You didn't give me times for how long they were grown inside. Cucumbers especially can flower very early. Many cukes give cucumbers only 40 days after they come up (with the right conditions). It could be the kind of bulbs you use too. For the most part (though it is more complicated) plants use blue light for vegetative growth and red light for flowering. If you have reddish bulbs in your fixtures then it will convince them to flower more quickly. If you use the cool white ones they tend to stick to just leafy growth more (and the cool white ones are really cheap). But your plants might well just be blooming on time. They really can bloom very early.
Hi Daphne,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your response. I think the problem is that I simply started the cukes "too early". I was following the advice on another blog (where the gardener is also in So. Cal.). These cukes have been growing in their for almost 2 months. Since it is still early I might start some more seedlings in case these cukes are confused :-).
BTW ... you have a "great" blog, I really like it.
Happy gardening,
Chris
Wow. 2 months? Even some of the later cukes start bearing fruit by then. BTW the time to harvest on the packets of cukes all assume that you direct seed in the garden. So that is how long it takes to grow.
ReplyDelete