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African Violets

Is anyone growing AV's under CFL's?

dirtygardener73

12 years ago

I was just wondering if they work the same way as the tubes, better or worse? I am trying to figure out how to set up my shelves for growing AV's indoors, and was reading on the University of Florida site. They said you could even grow them under LED's, but I don't know anything about that.

I was thinking that if I could use CFL's, I have a couple of old goose-neck lamps I could just stick up there on the top shelf until I can get a "for real" grow light setup.

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Comments (3)

irina_co
12 years ago
The best of light/$ ratio is 48" fluorescent tubes. If you get a shoplight with 2 T8 - you will be using 64Wt/hour and you can grow 16 large plants under them or 20 standards or 60 minis or about. Under your goose neck - you can grow 1 (one) plant. If you can find large enough horizontal surface you can dedicate for plants - hang the shoplight above them - and enjoy. the tubes give even light distribution - multiple goose neck lamps - do not.

LED - will be expensive to buy.
For real grow light setup is usually made out of "metro" shelving and 3 shoplights. Buying a specialized grow cart for avs will set you back for 900 buckazoids - instead of 120.

The difference can be used for a nice trip to the AV Convention in Detroit next year.

Irina
aegis1000
12 years ago
I use CFL's to supplement light coming through windows.

Most of the windows have a south-east exposure.

The CFL's have worked well for me to keep my plants healthy and in bloom. I've got about 50 plants, ... and I use maybe (10) household lamp fixtures for the CFL's.

I've used shop light fixtures before. I like the decor and the flexibility of the CFL's better so far.
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I'm really ashamed to say that I've been so busy the past few weeks with school work that I haven't really had a chance to sit down and catch up with postings. The wheels started turning in my head when a person at the local society put an ad in the monthly newsletter saying she wanted to get rid of a 400 watt HID SunSystem set up, which ended up being free (bonus!) :) After picking it up, I went to Lowes and bought a 5 tier shelving unit. Right now, I have the shelving unit up against the west wall in the basement, and hung the HID lights above it (it just fit, thank goodness). I have a huge variety of orchids, mainly phals, paphs, oncidiums and vandas, along with some miscellaneous genera (aerangis, dimorphorchis, coelogyne, brassavola, lycaste, etc). I've done my best to order them on each shelf according to their light requirements, but so far they all seem pretty happy. The most rewarding thing is that I've seen some new leaves starting to pop up! :)
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Since the "big post" (link in first response), I also had problems with cfl's pulling away from the base (42w). I called the supplier. 1 company makes 95% of the lower watt cfl's in the US market and packages them under different brands. There is a manufacturer's defect going on. They are looking into it. These things are mass produced in China Most bulbs are warenteed for 10,000 hours. Save the receipts. As mentioned, cfl's are not especially made for people like us, they are made for home use. A ceiling light with a glass cover, for example is a very enclosed space. Bulbs should be able to withstand that heat. We all use open systems. I have had 0 problems w/ the Eiko 85w cfl's but 23w and 42's (made by the same company) all had problems. My dinky sylvania's 100w equivelents are still going strong. This is not a heat issue. It's an assembly issue If you buy from HD they sometimes ask for the packaging which is completely ridiculous. I save 1 package and then had to make a huge stink. HD's corporate goal for 2007 is to minimise returns. (hassel the customer) Clara
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Allan, the theory behind self-watering pots is that the porous insert only allows in as much water as the plant will take up; just add and extra part of perlite to your mix, to increase the air spaces. Also, check it ocassionally as the insert can become clogged with fertilizer salts and minerals from the water. It's no fun to suddenly discover your pretty plant, dead all over everything. As for your leaf propogation technique, try a couple of leaves each of your noids; if they die, no big deal. The trick is to keep the soil (I use my regular 1:1:1 mix) *just* damp, not moist or wet. This will help prevent rot in the enclosed space I assume you're putting them in. Good luck and have fun germinating! Korina
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ocelaris
12 years ago
I think there is some confusion as to what "compact fluorescents" are... they come in many shapes and sizes, both the "twists" like you have at home AND they can come in tubes as well. Irina is right that long tubes are the most economical. People do use the twist compact fluorescents, it's just they're more expensive long term because the ballast (power supply for the tube) is built into the base, so you have to buy the ballast when the tube burns out. Where as with the long tubes you replace just the tubes and keep the ballast forever... Plus like Irina said, you can fit more in a 4' long tube :)

Compact fluorescents as a technology are very similar to tubes, basically they're folded back on themselves, so instead of having the pins at 2 ends, they are both at the same end... As a general rule of thumb, the smaller the diameter of the tube, the more efficient it is. We have the standard T12 tubes which are 12 x .25" around or 3"(circumference), then T8 bulbs are 8 x .25" around or 2" lastly T5 bulbs and Compact fluorescents are typically 1.25" around. T12s being the cheapest, T8 almost the same price (and the standard these days), and T5s and Compact fluorescents being the brightest and most expensive.

Hope this helps. Here is an example of the Tube form of Compact fluorescents:

Here is a link that might be useful: AH Supply

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