AV's Under Lights In An AeroGrow Garden Unit?

15 years ago

Is anyone growing any violets under the lights in an AeroGrow hydroponic unit? The light is so bright,any violet that I put under it starts burning within days. My question is..how high do I raise the light to know it is far enough away to make the violet grow and bloom.Yet not waste the light.

I have one of the compact models called the Aerogrow3,it has 1 flat compact fluorseant bulb in it,about the size of a large hand, and it is rated at '60HRZ,putting out only 26 watts' of light. At its lowest level,about 8ins,I can feel heat from the bulb,and it is very bright. It can be raised up to 2 feet away from any plant. I can set 1 or 2 small violets on the flat growing surface that the violet would sit on.

I cant see how 26 watts is so hot that it burns a violet,and tightens the new growth. But it does.

Does anyone know how far away the light should be from the violet? Or a way to figure out how far to raise the light from the plant. I am getting nowhere growing any of the seed kits in this compact model...I have 2 of the big AeroGrow models that could hold up to 6-7 violets on it, and has 2 very bright compact fluoresant lights in each. But they grow seeds easily and currently are. AeroGrow has no idea about this issue, so I figured I would ask in here. Does anyone have any idea how to figure out how I can use this compact unit to grow and make some violets bloom? And not burn or kill them?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

fred_hill
15 years ago
Hi,
I can only tell you of my experience growing under flourescent lights. I keep my fixtures 12" from the top of the plant and run them 10 hours a day. This is for a fixture that has 2 40 watt bulbs. I never replace two bulbs at the same time because if I do the plant yellow out and dry up.
Hope this is of some help.
Fred in NJ
floridabear
Original Author
15 years ago
Well all I know is that at 26 watts...this is a full light spectrum bulb...and it is suppose to grow seeds fast..they sprout up in days instead of weeks,and grow fast, but then just dont do much,maybe its to hot for the seedlings,but the booklet that came with it says nothing about moving the light for several weeks!.
So I wanted to try to use it to get 1-2 violets growing and blooming since they are suppose to make plants grow fast and bloom. But at piddly 26 watts,as I said,and at 8 in away ,they burn violets. So I guess i could try 12 in away and see what happens. Thank you.
Related Discussions
AV and AeroGrow Lights........
Q
Comments (1)
Aveo - I would have trouble supplying hundreds of plants with personalized AeroGrow lights - so I grow on the shelving units under tubes and it is much more economical. Definitely less light than petunias. What I am thinking - you sure do something right - your plant is growing and blooming. AVs are adaptale -and they will grow in a range of foot candles. They would show you if it is too much - by bleaching leaves and tight crowns - or stretching leaves if it is not enough. Even if your light is on a lower side - you compensate by longer time. You can get yourself a light meter for $30 and know exactly what's you are getting. the fact that the surface of your bulb is 1750 lumens doesn't translate exactly into lumens/ distance to your plants/ square footage. you are losing your light to the sides, some is absorbed by reflector etc. Good Luck Irina
...See More
CFL Bulbs VS AeroGrow Bulbs
Q
Comments (2)
well i am using the AeroGrow CFL lights in the Aerogrow gardens, to grow my violets, as many as i can,i can only fit so many under each one. i bought 6 of them for the 3 gardens, everything grows FAST, and blooms like they are on steroids! The regular CFL twisted lights, i was using, they seemed to grow violets a bit, but now that I have been using these, till they burn out, ill use them.
...See More
AeroGarden Lights, As A Light Garden. Help.
Q
Comments (0)
Ok. I am using the AeroGrow Garden, as a light gardens for my African Violets. I finally got NEW bulbs in them, 3 gardens. So now they are under new full power AeroGrow lights. Think they are 26watts, the flat fluorescent lights that they sell. So they are now getting the full spectrum/strength of light. I HAD 1 year old Aerogrow lights in all of them, and the violets were growing/blooming like crazy. But now that I have the new bulbs in them, does anyone know how far away from the plants, I should have these lights now? They are about 4-6 ins. away from the tops of the violets, depending on the plant. Each is a different height. So...before I end up possibly burning them, does anyone know how far way, I should have the lights from the violets? They were doing GREAT, as I said, with tired OLD lights on them, now that they have the NEW powerful grow-lights on them, I assume there is much more 'growing light power' hitting them. So....anyone know the distance I should use? Or leave it as it is? AeroGrow is of no help, they of course want me to buy a new LED garden from them. These light bulbs were expensive enough!! IF you are doing the same as me, using an Aerogrow garden as a light garden, not growing a garden in it, using the hydroponic system,...how far are you putting your lights? I have the light hoods in the 3rd hole on the light pole. If that helps. I think there are 6 holes, it tops out at 12in away from the plants. So...any help out there?
...See More
Growing Violets Under GrowLights, Need Advise
Q
Comments (16)
uhhh WHAT???? I'm not Sheldon on Big Bang Theory. :) UPDATE: I JUST called AeroGrow and asked how many Lumens EACH bulb puts out NEW. Since I have 2 bulbs in each garden, it would be twice the amount per bulb. They put out 1,500 Lumens NEW. Then get weaker as they age,of course. So...right now I am working with 3K Lumens per garden. the light hood with the bulbs in them, are about 6-7in away from the tops of the violets, depending on the pot they are in. Some are a bit closer, some are a bit further away. The maximum the lights can be away is 12in. Some crowns are getting tighter/crowded, either from growing fast from getting stronger light, or they are to close to the lights? I have moved them up 1 notch in each garden, and like i said, they are about 6-7 in away from the top of the violets. Some violets are on the very edge of the garden tray area, some are right under the two bulbs. The pictures ended up here...not my plan! To show some of my set-ups, and the crowed crowns on some, the blooms i am getting, the pink/purple single bloom is 'Playful Spectrum'. Its leaves are very firm and it is in a 2 1/4 in pot. The crown pic. is of my 'Twinkle Twirl', this one is 'Heinz Starfish'. All the small ones I just got a week ago, and as you can see, I taped a 'foil square' to the side of one garden, there is so much light spilling over the sides, so I can put in two more violets it. The pics. i took of my other gardens/plants, to show the bloom stems growth, all came out either to dark,or WAY to bright. So they were not showing whats up. These were the best of the ones I took. so..any opinions of the light, and are they getting to much light now, or what? I am now getting a TON of bloom stems starting to pop up/out on my 'SILVER GLADES CINDERS', I mean like a dozen or more!! Getting more on my 'GEE PEE', and my, 'THE MARTIAN', a WASP variety. They were all in the 2 OZ Solo cups, till I potted them up 2 weeks ago, also the same time i got my new bulbs. There are (2) 26W AeroGarden GrowBulbs per garden. Less complicated opinions of my set-up, and the growths seen? I'm not that bright when it comes to light!!
...See More
bspofford
15 years ago
Floridabear,

I suspect you'll just have to experiment with it. Be sure you are measuring from the bulb to the top of the plant.

So, how did the surgery on Splatter Kake go?

Barbara
floridabear
Original Author
15 years ago
My splatter kake has been dead for a long time. I have bought like 4 more and have yet to get a bloom from any, they are so small.
dragonfly2008
15 years ago
I think that Splatter Kake is one of those plants that is a little difficult to grow. I have that plant and it doesn't bloom all that often, but when it does, it is quite pretty. Another plant that is like that for me is Music Box Dancer.Oh, and Carnation Sprinkles is like that too. That's just my own experience. On the other hand, Wisdom is in heavy bloom constantly! Even if I disbud it, a couple weeks later, it is blooming again! Ness' Crinkle Blue and Optimara Barbados bloom often for me as well.
lilypad22
15 years ago
How about adding "shade"? Is there a way to put some light curtain netting fabric or window screen between the light and the plants?
floridabear
Original Author
15 years ago
Lilypad22....I am now growing 2 small violets under 2 of my BIG Aerogrow units that are currently growing herbs and petunias..but they are just tiny seedlings so far. So the violets get the light,and the seedlings still have room to grow. the lights are VERY close to them,since it is still 'stage 1'. The seeds are still sprouting. So I cant raise the light yet.. I have put a paper towel over the leaves,and sure enough the parts that are covered are growing fast, the parts not covered are burning. the lights are so hot and intense. The natural light here in south Fla, is hot and intense to. But I have 'shade' type screening on my windows,which make the violets grow and bloom great! I thought of that idea long ago..just wondered if anyone was doing it besides me and could tell me if they had good luck. I am having my own good luck so far. But see next post!!
plantman532000
14 years ago
I've managed to start leaves in my aero gro, but next time i want to try using long strand spagnum moss, it will be easier to separate the babies.The leaves were in a deluxe unit and the hood was fullly extended (24"). I also have a number of plants sitting on the top of the growing area and with the light hood fully extended (12-24") I'v had no burn.I am hoping to soon start some mini and micro mini av's in spag just for my aero's (I only have 7) I want to see how they will do.

John in PA.

AV's Under Lights In An AeroGrow Garden Unit?

Comments (8)

fred_hill

floridabear
Original Author

Related Discussions

bspofford

floridabear
Original Author

dragonfly2008

lilypad22

floridabear
Original Author

plantman532000

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

AV's Under Lights In An AeroGrow Garden Unit?

Comments (8)

fred_hill

floridabearOriginal Author

Related Discussions

bspofford

floridabearOriginal Author

dragonfly2008

lilypad22

floridabearOriginal Author

plantman532000

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

floridabear
Original Author

floridabear
Original Author

floridabear
Original Author