Grow light question... thinking ahead
AnnaWSul1 (5a)
5 years ago
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AnnaWSul1 (5a)
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Trying to think ahead - Winter chores
Comments (6)gpacker, I looked at the link above but can not open the bubbler construction or the source file for the bubbler. On the deicer construction, did you use a terra cotta pot to put the light bulb in; pvc for the square holder (or did you use a "noodle")? For the bubbler, can you tell me what materials you used? Thanks - they both look easy to make and efficient....See MoreThinking ahead-overwintering
Comments (7)i read that the plant starts working on tuber once the temps (nite?) drop below 62F. but i would not keep them out when temps (day or nite) go below 38-40F. they start sufferin a bit. it might be better for the tuber to bring them in then. no water and just let them dry up and drop the stems by themselves: so they can extract max nutrients from the leaves. last year i brought them in almost mid-november. but normally it would be earlier. i also give them a diff ratio ferts 1:2:1 to help set the tuber when temps drop to 45-55F (that's what they do with caladiums, so i figured it should work for begonias too). also once the temps drop into 40s make sure to keep them rather dry, hardly any water at all and under roof - so no raining on them. but they'll need to be in somewhat cooler place indoors to dry-up. may be not higher then 60-65F? mine dried up ok at around that (i don't have a cooler spot), they still had many good leaves too, but i wanted to force them into dormancy. and they might take even 6 weeks to totally decline while looking ratty. i leave the tubers in pots until feb - them i dig them up, clean, etc, change soil and put them very shallow, but still right under surface - so i can watch for eyes or until time that i decide to start them. this way even small tubers will not dry up totally. but if you're keeping your pots with tubers in a very cool space (low 40?) then the soil can't be even be slightly moist - they'll rot. so you need to water very carefully at the end, when it's still outside. so by the time you bring them in - they'be been kept dry for sev weeks. This post was edited by petrushka on Sat, Oct 4, 14 at 21:02...See MoreThinking Ahead - The Most Cost Effective Way To Start Seeds Indoors?
Comments (8)Shop lights are exactly the right solution. Don't waste money on fancy grow-lux bulbs or fancy fixtures. Just use cheap cool/warm bulbs. If you were doing hydroponics, where the plants spent their whole life under bulbs, fancy fluorescent bulbs might be nice. BUT, be sure to keep the bulbs within a few inches of the plants. Seriously. This isn't about looking at the plants, it's about stuffing them full of light. Just prop up the fixture on some boxes or 2x4s. With one standard 48-inch two-bulb T12 fixture, I'm not sure if you'll have room for 32 4x4 inch pots. Maybe just 2 rows of 12. You could seed the plants that can get transplanted earlier first, and do the rest when those are done and out the door. Or use smaller pots. Not sure where you are, but you'll want to keep everyone warm. I wouldn't bother with a heat pad underneath. I just throw a light tarp over the whole thing (lights and plants), and the fluorescent bulbs keep everything under it warm. 60 watts makes a nice mild heater. Regulate the temperature by throwing the tarp back a bit. You're shooting for 70-75F. In addition to the shop fixture, you'll want to invest in a cheap digital thermometer that will allow you to keep an eye on the temp. Might get a cheap dial timer that will turn the fixture on for 15-18 hours at a time. That $10 for the fixture. $10 for two bulbs, $10 for the thermometer, and $10 for the timer. $40, and you're set for many years....See MoreGrow Lights-Dont Want Neighbors to Think I'm growing something illegal
Comments (2)What will be obvious is you have a very bright overhead light (but only compared to your neighbours), but being on the 4th floor unless you have an adjacent apartment/office/hill no-one will be able to see the 'floor' of your apartment (just walk outside and look up, lots of ceilings, no floors). CFLs would be just as "obvious", but from that distance it would be very difficult for anyone to tell what kind of light it was, just that it made a lot and was throwing out white light. It's worth remembering that the folks you don't want to be confused with are trying to hide what they're growing, either in tents or rooms with closed windows. I wouldn't worry too much. The RCMP can't bust down your door just based on a neighbour calling and saying "hey, my neighbour has a bright light in his/her window, go bust them for running a grow-op". They may be 'annoyingly bright', especially if you have hardwood floors which might reflect the light into your eyes, but you can always turn them off and they are supposed to send light *down* not sideways....See More
SpanishFly - (Mediterranean)
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agojaittasa
5 years agoLove me some LEDs. Finally got around to hanging 4 more strips to the left shelf.
The bulbs on the top shelves are just regular 20w spots from supermarket, each puts out 2520 lumens. The lower shelves have Horticulture Lighting Groups Quantum Boards, about 40 watts per light and 6000+ lumens each.
AnnaWSul1 (5a)
5 years agoSpanishFly - (Mediterranean)
5 years ago
ewwmayo
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoI have both T5HO and LED. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
LED efficiency and lower heat output for equivalent light is pretty awesome for growing indoors on hot days. Price is a major downside.
Both work very well. I had no issues getting very good colourful growth throughout the year with either with a wide variety of succulents.
Here are some of mine hiding indoors from the heat today under LED:
And others hanging out on the roof right now, tolerating the heat:
AnnaWSul1 (5a)
5 years ago
Chris (6a in MA)
5 years agoewwmayo
5 years ago
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