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opinion on basic grow lights

17 years ago

Hi - I brought all my plants in last week to a bright room that will get a few hours of direct sunlight. I bought two 48 inch fluorescent fixtures, and they hold two T12 lights each. I bought 4 of the GE Plant and Aquarium lights ($8 each), and keep them on for 10 hours each day. Will these make any difference? Also, do you guys use foliar fertilizer in the winter? Thanks.

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Comments (7)

birdsnblooms
17 years ago
Jeff-n-Jessa, yes it'll make a difference, especially once winter comes and the day are drab. It won't be like summer, but will keep your plant going, and if there's fruit, it'll help ripen them.
In Oct, I give my citrus a last feeding of Osmocote and foliar spray w/Fish Emulsion..Though it does fertilize plants, I use it more as an insect repellent. Last year it worked fine..You can spray once a month..it won't burn leaves and not a harsh chemical. Toni
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
17 years ago
Whether it makes a difference or not will depend on the distance between the photosynthesizing surfaces and the light source. Light is diminished by the cube of the distance from its source. I.e., a light that is 3 feet from a leaf will only provide 1/27th the light it would @ 1 foot. @ 5 feet, the light provides only 1/125th the light, not enough to make an appreciable difference, so "Close", when using fluorescents is key.

The bulbs you chose are expensive, but do furnish light over a wide spectrum, providing both blue and red portions. They do not provide near the lumens that the T12 cool whites provide (@ 3200 each) though. I use all cool white in 22 fixtures over my grow area and change them mid-way through the grow season. I just purchased 4 cases of these bulbs yesterday (19.97/10 bulbs), along with a fixture to replace one that is down. FWIW, I run the lights 18/6.

Al
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emilie
17 years ago
I use really cheap basic shop lights to grow my orange trees when temps get low outside. They don't thrive, but they definitely stay healthy till spring. Although I've never grown my orchids there, they stay by a window. The only problem cheap shop lights can have is that some of them will buzz. But that's the only downside.
birdsnblooms
17 years ago
Emile, shop lights work just as well as other types..as long as you use the correct bulbs that's all that matters. Why pay several hundred dollars for expensive fixutre when they're nothing bug marked-up items? Toni
bencelest
17 years ago
Al:
I wanted to let you know I learned something from you regarding the use of flourescent light:

"Light is diminished by the cube of the distance from its source."

Thanks!

What is your comment in regards with using T8 flourescent bulbs?

Benny
tcharles26
17 years ago
T-8s are better, brighter and more efficient. But I will repeat my often stated advice that just about any fluroecscent is nowhere near as good as a HID light. If you use the fluorescent shop lights you too could end up with 22 of them.

I have four 48" t-12s in the same room as 1 400W HPS, and if the t-12's kick on when the sodium light is on you cant even tell the difference. Its a difference of kind not degree.

But having said that, Jeff n jessa, the set up you described should help your citrus a little bit. Much better than being out in the cold. Ill agree with AL, you probably didnt need to blow the cash on those fancy aquarium bulbs. Just get the most lumens you can.
bencelest
17 years ago
Tcharles:
Thanks for an eye opener.
I am learning a lot in this forum.

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