Good idea californian. I also have used bread pans and pint freezer containers (the hard square plastic ones) turned upside down to raise some of my trays when I have different size plants.

Curt :-)

Yep it always seems some are growing at different rates and need some blockage under them

Some people don't realize how much weight they're adding until the shelves collapse. Be careful with those books and newspapers if you are using shelves. It's much easier and only takes a couple seconds to adjust the lights if you use chains and hooks. The lights do not have to be level. Just raise one end for the taller plants or better yet have more than one shelf with the lights set at a different height. If only one or two plants need a raise just use an upside down pot or two, much lighter than books!

I have tried both, but it is just easier for me to move my lights than to find something just the right height to go under the trays.

I'm currently using three books, an upside down basket, a piece of corkboard, and a triscuit box to get my seedlings at juuuust the right height!

Kim

I agree with "grow anything" Too much hassle finding objects the right height.

Certainly it is an option, but the chains allow for easy and fast adjustment of the lighting height, and also allow for different heights...to a degree.

I've designed my systems for use with Chains. If you have an nft system which is all pipped you can't raise/lower the plants. A simple chain adjustment takes less than 10 seconds.

My bulbs are in fixtures and they do not move!

Mike

Mike,

That would require moving the plants, you don't have any alternative. If someone had an option, I would suggest the chain setup, having to continually move the plants would not be my first choice, but it certainly is something that works.

Yeah, two years ago I used shop lights and I had them on chains. Even then, I had to set an odd plant or two on top of a board or whatever just because it was so far behind the others. Then toward the end of the seedling season, I had one end about eight inches higher than the other!

Mike

eaglesgarden; Well alright then to tell you the best way is to have chains and blockage of some sort. That's what I do. I grow a lot of greens if it was all,lets say lettuce. Then I would have way more than could be consumed. Picture this, mature Chard taking up 2 foot of a 4 foot shelf. Even well trimmed Chard in the pot is 2 foot tall. The other end is lettuce seedlings taking up the remainder of the shelf space. Fine except for where the lettuce and chard meet. No way Jose can the chains be adjusted for this.

Curt:-) P.S. I do not have room for extra shelves/lights.

Curt,

Build a greenhouse! But a garden on your roof! Get rid of the sofa in the living room and build a grow area there!

J/K. of course!

Mike

Curt,

Generally, I am only growing under lights to get the plants started, then they go out into the garden. I don't grow any plants 2 feet tall indoors!

They start indoors, then out to the cold frame, then into the garden. (This year I am putting a mini-hoophouse into the garden, in an effort to get my tomatoes and peppers outside a little earlier.

My bad didn't think of seed starting. Mike I like the sofa idea,but where do I nap?
Curt

Just another thought! How many seedlings 'move' in nature? IMO it's best to suddenly move them as little as possible. Constant movement with a fan or wind is a totally different story. Sudden shifting can damage the stem.