Growing with Artificial Light
By EvrWonder
@EvrWonder (3571)
Canada
February 16, 2010 5:51am CST
I have started my seeds. Yes, early but I think Spring is going to be here a lot more sooner than we think.
This year I am using a bench with grow lights but I am unsure how long to leave the lights on. I have been leaving them on from 7a.m. to 7p.m. Is that too long? I can't recall the hours that I used a few years back.
In any case, my tropical plants seem to love it, a lot.
I don't have a bench warmer, yet, so to heat the flats from the bottom but will be adding in the next couple of weeks.
Any words of advice, growing with artificial lights?
I am using it mostly to start the seeds and help the seedlings along.
Distance is a no brainer. I am more concerned about the hours.
I recall depending on what you want to do, determines the hours of light vs darkness.
Will enjoy reading all responses for sure and thank you in advance.
2 people like this
4 responses
@mentalward (14691)
• United States
16 Feb 10
It mainly depends on the types of seedlings. Some do best with 16 hours of fluorescent lighting and some do fine with 12. You should do a search on growing seedlings and look up each individual type to see how they do best.
As for heating the flats, that is only helpful before they sprout. Afterwards, they should be kept cooler so they don't grow tall and leggy. Most seeds need warmth to germinate but need cooler temperatures to grow properly.
Good luck with your garden! I don't think we'll be seeing an early Spring here, especially because we have about two feet of snow still on the ground. We just got more snow, about three inches, yesterday. I'm beginning to think we're going to skip spring, summer and fall and go straight into next winter.
I'll be starting some of my own seeds in about a week and HOPE that I'm able to plant them outside when the time is right. But, after a grand total of 94 inches of snow (so far) this season, I'm thinking more like we'll have a very late Spring. After all this stuff thaws, the ground will be way too wet for awhile to plant anything. What a winter this has been!
I'll be starting some of my own seeds in about a week and HOPE that I'm able to plant them outside when the time is right. But, after a grand total of 94 inches of snow (so far) this season, I'm thinking more like we'll have a very late Spring. After all this stuff thaws, the ground will be way too wet for awhile to plant anything. What a winter this has been!@EvrWonder (3571)
• Canada
17 Feb 10
Thank you for the info. Interesting about the seeds as I never knew this.
I will check it out. may take awhile as I have a ton of flats germinating.
Already getting heads popping out too :D I love this!
I understand about the heat. I just want to give the seeds the best environment to do their thing.
I heard that you people got a major dump of snow. We have sunny skies. Our crocuses, snow drops, daffodils and even the dandelions are blooming already. I noticed the snow drops early January.
Our winter was way too mild, especially for the Olympics not to mention the survival of the pine beetle.
Well, have fun germinating and thanks again for your response! Much appreciated.
1 person likes this
@mentalward (14691)
• United States
17 Feb 10
I love seeing the seedlings popping out, too. It never grows old. I'm as excited now as I was the very first time I started seedlings indoors. I call them my "babies". I tell my husband, "I got 4 new babies today!" He thinks I'm nuts. He just doesn't get it and leaves all the gardening to me.
I have eight 4-foot-long fluorescent lamps, each having two tubes and that probably won't be enough for everything I'll be starting indoors. Last year, I didn't have this many lamps and had flats in every sunny window and under every lamp in the house. LOL This year, I'll have better control over the seedlings, amount of light, air circulation and temperature.
Yes, we sure did get dumped on this year! I feel like I'm in a horror movie about the snow that never stopped. Even on days when we don't "officially" get snow, many of them have flurries. Normally, we get less than a foot for the season but, this year, we've had almost eight feet. I hope I never see another year like this one.
If I can find anything that lists the different seedlings and how much light each one needs, I'll let you know as soon as I can.
1 person likes this
@EvrWonder (3571)
• Canada
18 Feb 10
Thank you. Yes the snow that you're getting is rather extreme. Stay warm & safe.
I call them my babies too. Lol. I get a lot of pleasure out of it also.
I have the four foot grow lights as well.
I have more babies today too. Seems each day, something more is coming through.
Sounds like you are going to have fun! Enjoy and thank you for your comment.
1 person likes this
@steveffeo (3)
• United States
17 Feb 10
Hi I setup a Squidoo lens which tell you step by step how to start plants inside using lights.
Hope this helps
http://www.squidoo.com/growlights
2 people like this
@EvrWonder (3571)
• Canada
18 Feb 10
Sweet! Thanks Steve and thank you for your response as well. Your lens is intersting and loved the pictures too. Thank you for sharing.
2 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
16 Mar 10
I have a tray of seedlings in my office and use 2 halogen spotlights as artificial lights. I also have a tray in the dining room and have a lamp with a clear 150 watt bulb. They both work great for me here in Minnesota. I leave mine on almost all the time until they are a couple inches tall then only when they need light do I turn the lamps back on.
As always.....
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB!!`
@EvrWonder (3571)
• Canada
2 Apr 10
Thank you for your response. The halogens are useful but scare me so I use the florescent light fixtures with grow tubes. Works pretty good. I leave my lights on for twelve to fourteen hours until the seedlings are almost ready to plant out. I harden them off first. I can see the reasoning for leaving the lights on constant until the seeds sprout.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
16 Feb 10
I have given up trying ot out quess Mother Nature and now I just by seedlings after any chance of frost has passed. All in all I get as many veggies with less work and effort and not much more cost. Because of this I have forgotten rules about light and heat. If it was me I'd look it up on the Internet. Good Luck
1 person likes this
@EvrWonder (3571)
• Canada
17 Feb 10
Thank you savypat. I am going to be doing further research here this week.
I really enjoy starting my own seeds.
Everything in the flower gardens are either from seed, division or cuttings.
As for vegies, I like to start my own tomatoes but also purchase a couple seedlings. We seed most of our own vegetable garden. It is very large and will be larger this year. Hopefully to resale.
I thoroughly enjoy harvest but also collecting seeds. It is a lot of fun for me but I can understand your point of view as it can be a lot of work when we could so easily just go buy the seedlings.
Thanks again for your response.
1 person likes this
