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Growing under Lights

WHERE is your light set up?

9 years ago

I was wondering where you all have your light set up? Do you have it "hidden" in a basement or room no one really sees? Or do you have it in a family room or dining room out on display? If you have it out where people see it, do you try to make it look pretty?

Would love to see some pictures. I have used clamp lights to start my seeds for 2 seasons and I am ready for a more serious set up.

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Comments (10)

thedudefrom1976
9 years ago
I just made a post I started a grow closet in my man cave/computer room with a pic. Title is suggestions for my new veg closet.
yardenman
9 years ago
Its in my basement.

{{gwi:2127896}}
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I am not a member of AOS and cannot access the magazine. So, I googled the author and found this piece, which covers a lot of technical aspects of LED growlights. I like the discussion of technical terms, such as PAR, PPF and DLI, which more accurately define the light used by plants. I also like how she mentions that cattleyas can require twice as much DLI as phalaenopsis or paphiopedilums do to flower. For an affordable LED growlight, I recently came across this YouTube video that demos Mars Hydro TS 600W, which has very good reviews on Amazon, for vandas. Like many 2019 LED growlights, it has a warmer glow, unlike the cold fluorescent or blurple that older LED technologies emit. I don’t have a Mars Hydro, but I do own a few growlights from Fluence and HLG that use similar spectra. I find the warm, sun-like glow to be very pleasant. Last winter, my growlights did a great job helping my jasmines and camellias bloom indoors. I recently bought 20+ cattleyas and dendrobiums, and we will see how they do under the lights this winter.
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emilytroutman
9 years ago
In my craft room (3rd bedroom). I just bought and assembled my lights this weekend. My house doesn't have a bonus room, basement, or utility room where I can put the lights, and my garage is too cold this time of year. I would rather have it somewhere a little more out of the way, but it is what it is!
SunshineZone7
Original Author
9 years ago
yardenman, I like your set up! What lights are you using?

emilyt85, that sounds good :) I fear if I put the set up in the basement I will not be as attentive to my seedlings/plants. Though if I put them in my dining room I have to make it look really pretty. So I closed off 3rd bedroom (which I do not have) sounds perfect!
rachel67
9 years ago
Hello,

Last year I had a freestanding steel shelving unit (Lowes) with shop lights, similar to Yardenman, tucked in the corner of my dining room (southern exposure). I originally thought the basement or a cooler back room but I was afraid they might get forgotten or something. The thermostat sits at 60 degrees for the most part so they didn't get overly warm and I used the silver mylar (runner's blanket) to deflect light back on them. I LOVED growing them within daily eye sight and watching the progress. I had great success with my set up and can hardly wait to start again this year.
ThatShabbyGuy
9 years ago
Just started this year. Starting tropical milkweed, hollyhock, pansies, black eyed susans, and a few others under t8s in my closet. Planning to move them to my shop upstairs but I need to build something to enclose them in so they stay warm.

I had been thinking of an indoor greenhouse and I like the shelf set up that is pictured above. Concerned about light getting to the plants though and might switch to a better light source rather than t8s
ontheteam
9 years ago
I am fortunate enough to have a second "kitchen" upstairs in my house. The "Kitchen" was part of an illegal 2 family when we brought the house. Its upstairs with 2 bedrooms and a large hall almost the size of a bed room...
We re did most of the house but kept the second kitchen that has deck and stairs to the outside as a plant room. I have my light rack..4 tier grow light cart in there, Its perfect with the linoleum floor and the sink in there I can sweep up lost soil and water plants. Right now I have 2 trays of geraniums seeds starting
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
9 years ago
Just about everywhere I can find some space. In 2 small bedrooms - shelves by the windows + shop lights; basement - shelves and table + shop lights and CFL's in strip light fixtures set-up.
Some, unfortunately, without supplemental lights. Just the windows.
Rina
yardenman
9 years ago
SunshineZone7, the top 2 light fixtures are 4 bulb units. The lower two are 2 2-bulb units. If I were to built the stand again, I would recommend the 2 2-bulb units spread a few inches apart. Better lighting that way.
yardenman
9 years ago
And yes, you CAN forget the plants in the basement. But you can forget them outside too. I have trash pickup twice a week. So every trash day, I water the plants.

And of course, I have a timer on my lights (set at 14 hours lighting per day) so I don't have to worry about that!

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