RE: [CH] Grow lights
Ces (ces@preferred.com)
Wed, 28 Jan 2004 21:10:25 -0500
I also use the shop lite fixtures but I put the grolux tubes in them, the
tubes are about $6.50 each and I've used them for about 4 years now. I use
plastic chain on the fixtures and swag hooks in the ceiling to raise and
lower as needed. I start about 300 plants a year and my system works very
well.
Charlie
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-chile-heads@globalgarden.com
[mailto:owner-chile-heads@globalgarden.com]On Behalf Of Bob Shuman
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 8:03 PM
To: Chile-Heads@globalgarden.com
Subject: Re: [CH] Grow lights
Dan Gillis wrote:
> It's getting to be that time of year again, and I was wondering if anyone
> had any thoughts on grow lights. <snip>
We start about 1000 pepper plants, about 250 tomato plants and an
assortment of others (no, not recreational plants) in our basement. The
fancy grow lights cost quite a bit to buy and use quite a bit of juice.
We have had good luck with the cheap 2 tube flourescent shop lights
you find at home centers for about $7. I install one cool white tube
and one warm white tube (sometimes marketed as a kitchen or bathroom
tube) in each fixture.
I keep them about 2" above the leaves for 16 hours a day. I also keep
an oscillating fan on them 16 hours a day to develope thick, strong
stems. I think it speeds up the harding-off process, and lessons our
fungus problems, too. I find that too warm nighttime tempuratures make
for spindly stems, so I drop the nightime temperature in the house to 60
degrees F.
We've done this for several years, and never fail to get nice bedding
plants this way.
Just my 2 cents....
Hobby Farmer