Very colorful after weeks indoors under lights! Pics:-)

13 years ago

After learning here that growing these under lights can be a good thing this time of year for me in my area, I thought I would give it a try...

I hear that many C&S club members have shut their greenhouses down for the winter to set up shelves and lights in their cellars..They have said it is much cheaper to use just lights than to heat their greenhouses now..

So far so good for some of mine, at least the ones that have no room for a spot on my sunny windows....

Does anyone else here use grow lights too?

Mike..:-)

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Comments (40)

deburn
13 years ago
Mike, your plants look great! I like the way you've arranged them. I've been thinking of getting some grow lights too. What kind of a setup do you have?

deburn
emerald1951
13 years ago
Hi Mike, yes your plants look fantastic....
your hummel sunsets are so colorful, mine is green yuck...
thanks for posting the pictures I really like seeing how everyone arranges and lights there plants...
you have done a fantastic job....
linda.....
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TT, zone 5b MA
13 years ago
Mike -

Your plants and your light setup looks excellent! What kind of lights are you running? Are you running a small fan in the vicinity to keep the air circulating?

Yup, I am running a few myself...my little controlled 'chaos'...

img src="http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l47/ttermine/DSC_7110_edited-1.jpg">;

Looks more chaotic in pictures than it really is. I have a mix of metal halide, HPS, LED, and CFL going on in here. Oh, and some skylights.
jade_man
13 years ago
wow this makes me feel like i am just neglecting my plants, all i have is a south facing window. maybe i should look for lights?
puglvr1
13 years ago
Those are AWESOME Mike and Tom!! Both your plants are just beautiful, colorful and healthy!!

Mike, how cold does the room get where you have your Jades and Succulents?

Will Daylight florescent (40watts) work or do you guys have to use (expensive) "special" light for them?

Fantastic job you guys!! Great pictures!
TT, zone 5b MA
13 years ago
Jade man - if you plants are well, they are probably fine in the south facing widow. I wish I had more of those. I supplement because the windows in this room face north, west and east - and due to the quantity of plants. Hard to fit them all on a window sill.

Pug - Daylight florescent can definitely help. I don't use them (except for two CFLs to fill in some gaps) but I think you need to get your plants pretty close to them to make a difference.

Tom
Greenthumb
13 years ago
I've gardened under fluorescent lights since the early 70's and I love it. I have one small South window to use and it is simply not enough space.

The nice thing about a light garden is that there is NEVER a cloudy day in the light garden. One of the reasons that the plants do well under the lights is the consistency of the light, even though the light isn't as intense as natural sunlight. Orchids grow equally well under lights for the very same reason.

The only problem with lights is that for tall plants, it's difficult to get enough light to the base of the plant. Right up next to the fluorescent tubes (within a couple of inches), there could be 2000 to 4000 footcandles, but it drops off drastically the farther away you get from the tubes.

It is fairly inexpensive to get a light setup put togther and the rewards are great.
My .02
Mike
Greenthumb
13 years ago
Oops... Forgot to say "Great photos", Mike & Tom! My bad.
Marie Tran
13 years ago
Mike and Tom, your plants look fantastic...thank you both for taking the time to post....
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
13 years ago
I wish I were a plant in your houses....!
Man, what a vacation! ;)

Josh
TT, zone 5b MA
13 years ago
Josh...I think many of my plants in there would rather be vacationing in Northern Cali...

thanks.

Tom
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
13 years ago
I bet a few of them would....
Let them know, however, that we're gonna have a good ol' fashioned freeze tonight.... ;)
My succulents are angry that I've forced them to come in for the night....

Josh
Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
13 years ago
Hello Mike,

All of your plants look so happy tanning under those lights!!

Love the Jades...well, love them all!!

I am trying new lights this year on my Plumies... so hopefully I can keep three of my trees growing with inflos!!(I purchased the T-5 setup )

Thank you for the invite to come over and see all of your beautiful jades, cacti, succ. etc....they are all quite lovely!!! The setups that you all have with the lights look fantastic!!! You all will have very happy plants this winter...(unless your lucky enough to be in PR!!!) Wish that I was there...LOL....

Packaging cost....................................99 cents
labor in preparing................................99 cents
value of time to drive to Fed EX..................99 cents
Knowing how happy someone will be on Friday.......PRICELESS

Take care Mike...thanks for all of the kind words!!!

Laura in VB
xerophyte NYC
13 years ago
TT

Do your cycads a favor - get them out of that light and stick them in your garage. You will have more room for something else. The worst thing you can do for cycads is to potentially stimulate a flush of leaf growth out of season. They are better off with a cold dormancy if you cannot provide strong, natural light. They are also prone to mealies indoors if kept warm.

Believe me, of all the plants in the entire Plant Kingdom, cycads are among the most tolerant of neglect. They haven't survived 200 million years by accident. You can burn them then stick them in the fridge with exposed roots probably for a few years without harm. I'm not proposing that be done, but a few months in a garage is absolutely harmless, or even beneficial when growing them in the NE.

I keep all my cycads in the garage, with the exception of Cycas rumphii which is a tropical species that will tolerate the warm indoor winter temps + humidity and the poor indoor light - I just keep her dry. She's a beauty.

Here's one of my pride and joys, E horridus, right after a new flush this summer:

x
Greenthumb
13 years ago
x,
Wow, great photo! Is that plant really that blue? Stunning plant!
Thanks,
Mike
TT, zone 5b MA
13 years ago
x -

I definitely considered garaging the cycads this year, based on discussions we have had. Truth be told, they have all had the indoor under lights treatment for years and have NEVER attempted a flush under the indoor lighting. They basically hang out in a dormant state - only my sago has ever shown visible signs of waking, and only in the later spring when actual sunlight has begun to filter into the room.

I will, however, consider your suggestion. Frankly, I am starting to run out of room in my garage now ;-).

BTW, are you including all of them in garage treatment - Zamia furfuracea, E. horridus, C. revoluta, and Z. floridana? I thought Z. furfuracea is a bit more tender than the others...

Thanks.

T
Marie Tran
13 years ago
X, that is beautiful plant....I haven't see that one before until now....
meyermike_1micha
Original Author
13 years ago
Oh my God..You get busy for a day or two, and look what happens..

Tom...Remarkably BEAUTIFUL! I love that room..I do not have that many and if I did, I would relish a room like that! It is so nice..I love it.It reminds me of the Botanical Garden room in Boylston..Great job..Do you have a chair in there where you study or just read and relax, especially during cloudy or snowy cold days?

I had no idea that a Cycads could be put in such cold temps in a garage..Hummm

X...That plant is amazing! Now I want one...It has the most unique coloring...Different..Thank you for showing us. Thank you for your information about Cycads..

Josh, I have invited you to come and vacation here...lol
What do you do with yours for the winter? Do you use lights or just sunny windows..?:-)

Laura..I think I would be just as happy if I could tan safely under light..lol
I am so happy to see you stopped by..
You are bound to meet many good people here, if you keep coming!
I think you have some beauties that would fit right in here..There are a few members here I would love for you to know..I will e-mail you later...
Priceless is right!:-)))

I think mine are T5 compacts too..I will have to double check..I tell you, they are awsome to have..Such a neat set up, east to use, and not a bad electric bill..They seem to thrive under them..I just stuck my slow growing violet plant under them too..I can't wait to see what happens..

Thank you Laura for taking the time to come here with your kind words..;-)

Greenthumb..Thank you and if you have any to post of yours, that would be so nice..I think yours are very nice.

Itran..Same to you..Thank you.

Pug...Hello...I took the temp of my cellar and it read 64 this am...I would say the temps down there hover in the 55-65 range all winter..I actually open a window to keep it cool down there..
I will take a pic of the lights for you to give you an idea..
Pug, THANK YOU for your comments since you have been very instrumental in my success here and of great appreciation..:-))))))

Jademan...How have yours been? Are you going to use lightsat all..You are way too funny...

Mike..:-)
birdsnblooms
13 years ago
Mike, you know I enjoy looking at your plants..I didn't know you grew sux until recently..they're looking great.

Tom,..all I can say is WOW! Your Adenium is huge. All your plants are gorgeous. How do you water your Birds Nest/Asplenium? sp.
What's the plant in the last picture, sitting on the table w/green top? A Bromiliad/Dyckia?

Xero..does the E stand for Euphorbia? Is your plant a Euphorbia? It's lovely, and novel..never saw anything like it..Gorgeous. Toni
isaacmaya
13 years ago
Some very nice setups !!! I use the same lights as Mike....T5 6500k grow and 3500K bloom lights. The plants love them. Each 4'-8 bulb fixture uses 129kWh a month(12 hrs a day),which in Missouri comes to 12 dollars a month. I feel these are the best lights for the money. Haven't figured out how to post pictures inside a post yet so here's a link
isaacmaya
13 years ago
another try

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing under lights
birdsnblooms
13 years ago
Sorry, meant Staghorn, not Birdsnest..
puglvr1
13 years ago
X, that is a really cool plant, I also love the beautiful blue green shade, just beautiful!

Thanks for the info on the temps Mike! So far I've been fortunate enough not to have to use lights for my plants, we're lucky enough to have a LOT of sun in the winter, but its great info.

Hey Toni, nice to see you stop by :o)
penfold2
13 years ago
Toni, I'm not xero, but I can tell you the plant in that picture is an Encephalartos horridus, one of the more unique looking cycads.

Tom, I remember you asking about replacement bulbs on the lighting forum a year or two back. Do you have any favorites now? I just ordered a 400w MH, but will need more. How do the HPS work for you? The efficiency would be great, but I'd worry about the spectrum.
xerophyte NYC
13 years ago
Mike, ltran, Toni

That is Encephalartos horridus, and yes it is quite blue. It is actually bluer in real life but is almost impossible to capture the true color on camera. Before the wax matures it is wonderful lavendar-turquoise color. The wax is responsible for the blue color.

The wax is spoiled by rain so I try to keep the plant in my greenhouse which is a pain in the rear end.

Not all clones have the same color or recurved leaflets. Mine is rather compact with nice twisted leaflets and arching leaves. Californians grow them well.

Cycads are not succulents but they are xerophytic. I don't mean to go off-topic. E horridus does however grow among aloes, euphorbias and other true succulents in its native RSA.

x
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
13 years ago
Thanks for the invite, Mike! ;)

Sunny windows are the best that I can offer, I'm afraid. These are the main east, south, east windows in the living room.
I keep quite a few of my plants "mobile" on two short bistro tables (for those Winter days when the weather is nice).

Please pardon the mess.....things are a bit cramped these days! Spider plants and pots everywhere.... ;)

{{gwi:718768}}

{{gwi:718770}}

{{gwi:718772}}

Josh
TT, zone 5b MA
13 years ago
Mike - welcome back from wherever you wereÃ¢ÂÂ¦yes, lots of posts. I have never been to the Botanical Garden Room in Boylston - I will put it on my list. No time to sit around in my sunroom, though. I am usually watering, trimming, or checking something. No time to actually enjoy the plants (just kidding)Ã¢ÂÂ¦

Toni - I have had that arabicum for a while now. I think the shallow pot makes it look fatter. I do have a birdsnest fern in there, too (which I keep on the damp side). My staghorns are watered by sitting them in a sink and running water through them for a while. Very easy plants, IMO. In the last picture, I think you might mean the two tillandsia xerographicas?

Isaacmaya - those adenium of yoursÃ¢ÂÂ¦wow!

Penfold - I really like the Eye HortiluxÃ¢ÂÂ¦and they make a really sweet 400w MH (see the link below). It is definitely my favorite bulb - a little pricey, but worth it (if you hunt around you should be able to find it cheaper, too. The HPS is nice, but I agree about the color spectrum - canÃ¢ÂÂt beat them for intensity and penetration though.

Josh - I wish I had a few windows like yoursÃ¢ÂÂ¦your plants are obviously digging it.

Tom

Here is a link that might be useful: eye hortilux 400w blue MH
emerald1951
13 years ago
Hi all....
Mike what a great arrangment and lights you have you did a great job...
Tom have you ever counted your plants....wow..
they look great...what a job you have taking care of all of them..but they look great I love the huge cactus...
xerophyte..I have never seen a plant that color before
how neat that is..
greenman28 your plants are all so great too...and I love the view out your windows....I would love to have those wide window sills.....
thanks to all for posting the great pictures and comments its always great to see others plants and arrangments...linda
penfold2
13 years ago
Tom, thanks for the info. It's funny you mention that bulb, because I ordered a nearly identical bulb made by the same company. You might want to check out the EYE Clean-Arc and Clean-Ace. They have the exact same specifications as the Hortilux Blue, but they're cheaper ($70 retail) because they're not marketed for horticulture. I even found the Clean-Ace on sale this month for $40, so I had to pick one up. I used to use the 250w for growing coral back when I had saltwater aquariums. They're very popular among aquarists.

Nice looking plants everyone!
TT, zone 5b MA
13 years ago
pen -

Where did you find the Clean Ace for $40? I just checked online, and I couldn't find the 400w for any less than 100 bucks. Does the clean Ace burn in a standard magnetic ballast? Standard Mogul base? what is T15 vs. T17?

I am seeing slightly different specs...not sure if they are significant, though. This site had the Ace for $119, and the blue for $129:

Eye Clean Ace Virtual Daylight Metal Halide 6500K
400 Watt Lamp
Brand Eye Lighting - Clean Ace
Watts 400 Watt
Manufacturer# MT400D/DL/BUD
Color Temp. (CCT or K) 6500K
CRI 90
Burn Position Base Up or Base Down ÃÂ±15ÃÂ°
Base Mogul E40
Ansi Ballast H33 - Reactor Type
Enclosed Fixtures Only
Bulb T15
Initial Lumens 32,000
Rated Life Hours 12,000

Eye Hortilux 400 Watt Blue Burning
Metal Halide Light Bulb
Brand Eye
Manufacturer Item # MT400D/HOR/HTL-BLUE
Bulb Size/Shape T17
Watts 400
Color Temp. (CCT or K) 6500K
CRI 90
Burn Position Horizontal ÃÂ±15ÃÂ°
Base Mogul
Initial Lumens 29,000
Life Hours 12,000
Ansi Ballast M59 - Enclosed Fixtures Only
Max warm up time 8 minutes
penfold2
13 years ago
After checking around a bit, I guess prices do vary. But both the Clean-Ace and Clean-Arc can be found for $70 or less if you know what to look for.

The Clean-Ace is actually a conversion bulb meant to run on a mercury vapor ballast, but many people (myself included) run them on MH ballasts without any problem. The Clean-Arc is meant to be run on a MH ballast, and is the bulb I would have chosen if I hadn't found such a good deal on the Clean-Ace. I ordered (but haven't yet received) the Clean-Ace from Salty Supply. It's called an Iwasaki 6500K in the aquarium industry. (EYE is a subsidiary of Iwasaki.) Doing a search for 400w Iwasaki will turn up lots of $70 bulbs that are in fact Clean-Ace bulbs if you check the model#. The Clean-Arc can be found for $70 at Business Lights as well as other places.

As for the specs, you're looking at the base up/down (BUD) version of the Clean-Ace. The horizontal (HOR) version has identical specs to the Hortilux Blue, which is also a horizontal bulb. T15/17 may refer to the shape or size of the glass portion of the bulb (not sure), but they all fit in a standard mogul socket.

IMO, this is just another example of charging different prices to different markets for the same product. I've been very happy with the 250w Clean-Ace in the past, and I'm sure the 400w Clean-Ace/Arc are just as good.
TT, zone 5b MA
13 years ago
Penfold - Just amazing! Thank you for those links. I am going to pick up an extra one at those prices.

T
meyermike_1micha
Original Author
13 years ago
Josh!

I love that room and all those windows and the scenery beyond the windows..Lucky you, lucky plants..
My sister and mother told me to tell you they are amazed at all your plants, and your very nice windows..Thank you for showing us your growing area for the winter..

Linda.....Thank you for all your kind words and for taking the time to visit here..By the way, I got your e-mail, and I will respond soon..:-)

Fantastic information on lighting Tom and Penfold..Much appreciated...Someone made a comment on how much more dedicated light these plants would get, as compared to relying on the sun this time of year..What a good point.
Tom, my pop up greenhouse is sill up..lol..60's this week.

X..I have the perfect spot for one of those in my room..Everytime I see your plants, I am amazed at how gorgeous they are and astounded that you can make them all look so perfect in this area..Bravo..
I also still have the mix you sent me when I first met you, that I have not had to use yet..It should still be good, right? I have not forgotten your kindness and the insight you have shared here..

Mike
meyermike_1micha
Original Author
13 years ago
Pug..You are very welcome!

Toni..It is a pleasure to see you here..Thank you for your kind words...:-)

Isaac..Thank you for the info..My brother is going to try a light set up too..

Mike
birdsnblooms
13 years ago
Pug, always nice seeing you, too..

Pen, I don't know much about Cycads. I have two, don't know they're types..lol. thanks for the name though.
Pen, I'm still using the same bulbs I bought last year..lol..In the front plant room, two Gro Bulbs. The back light has one warm white and one cool white. A home-made shelf has regular, flurescent bulbs. They work fine, and don't cost a fortune. Plants also get sun, 'for what it's worth, considering I'm in IL,' lol.

Tom, your Staghorn is huge..What does it weigh? lol. The plant I was asking about is in the same pic with the Staghorn, to the left on a tabletop. Looks like one plant.

Xero. I'll have to Google. Never heard of your plant, but it's gorgeous. BTW, the picture is gone.

Josh, very nice room. Your 'cado is a TREE! It's really grown. I just started two bulbs.. Have to find a way the squirrls won't get it/them next spring/summer.

Mike, you're welcome. Toni
mrlike2u
13 years ago
Hmmmmm.... anyone care to do more grow light bulb shopping ?

Here is a link that might be useful: Bulbs and lighting
TT, zone 5b MA
13 years ago
Mike - my popup is still up, too. Just my Yucca rostrata and a couple of hardy bonsai spending time in it now. It will probably come down right after Thanksgiving...sad.

Toni - (warning - off-topic plant discussion!) Never weighed my staghorn...have had it for years, though. Probably the easiest plant I own, IMO.

I think this is the plant that you mean - Tillandsia xerographica. It is not actually on a table, just an optical illusion I think. It is sitting on top of a metal stand - air plant, no soil...

T
birdsnblooms
13 years ago
Tom, both plants are doing exceptional...I had no idea Tills grew that large. Those I've seen and the one I've had a little over 5 yrs, 'glued to a pumpkin, lol,' doesn't grow.
Do some stay certain sizes?

And your Staghorn is something else. Again, those I've seen we're either growing in soil, planters w/large pieces of Sphagnum, or moss. Is the bottom of yours natural growth?
It's not that they're hard growing, but winters are fairly dry, no? Do they not need a lot of humidity? Toni
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
13 years ago
Hey, Toni! Thanks!
I just chopped my Avocado down to about 7 inches.
I think you must be seeing my Money Tree (Pachira)...
It has really grown since the Spring re-potting.

Josh
ffbste
12 years ago
Wish I had a set up like that Mike.. Love it.