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"Grow lights" / fluorescent or LED lighting for seedlings, help please?

• Message 1. 

  Posted by Niblet (U14438752) on Monday, 24th January 2011

  Hi there,
  I want to grow my own chillis from seed this year, having had a lot of fun with market bought young plants last summer.
  I have cherry bomb, habanero (scotch bonnet), jalapeno, ancho and mulato seeds. I understand that they need heat to germinate (20-23 oC?) so I am going to buy an electric propogator as they seem quite affordable. Since they need a long growing season to fruit properly I think the sowing season is Feb -March, but I have been reading that light is equally as important as heat, and of course there's no much to be had this time of year. My seedlings will be on a south facing windowsill, and when the weather warms up they will live in my south facing conservatory. I've been looking online for specific lights to aid seedling growth but most seem to be for elaborate setups for growing cannabis plants! Does anyone know anything about lighting for seedlings? I don't want to spend a lot of money or buy specialist equipment. I'd love to just buy some kind of free standing desk lamp to stick over the top of them but i don't know if that would work or what bulbs to use.
  Any sensible advice is greatly appreciated

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Monday, 24th January 2011

  I'd love to just buy some kind of free standing desk lamp to stick over the top of them but i don't know if that would work or what bulbs to use.  
  
  I guess you are not going to produce commercial quantities so what you suggest can work, although obviously professional equipment will work btter.
  
  But as you say this is expensive.
  
  Let me give you a couple of examples that a friend and I have done in the past.
  
  I rigged up a small fluorescent lamp (salvaged from an old kitchen unit) and fitted it with a 'daylight' tube.
  
  I set the height of the lamp approx 12" (300mm) above the seed tray to reduce light spread.
  
  From experience I found that I should have placed the lamp so that I could vary the height of the lamp as the plants grew in height.
  
  So here you can benefit from my experience and cater for this at the initial set up!
  
  At the power supply end I used a 'timer' socket and set this to come on two hours before scheduled sunrise and go off at two hours past scheduled sunset.
  
  I found this worked quite well.
  
  My mate had a brilliant set up in his cellar.
  
  He was lucky enough to acquire a pool table complete with overhead light.
  
  He fitted a soil warming cable / mat on the table to give bottom heat to his plants.
  
  He fitted 'daylight' tubes to the overhead light.
  
  Incidently the overhead light was complete with suspension chains so he could vary the height of it as necessary.
  
  So there you are a couple of ideas to think about!

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by John Moodie (U14353581) on Monday, 24th January 2011

  Hello Niblet,
  I take it you want a simple solution and don't a costly set up.
  Last winter I had to rush and get a grow light for my geranium cuttings. I went to the nearest shop, I think it's actually a grow op shop. Anyway the old hippie said don't bother with those and handed me a package of Sun Blaster compact fluorescent, full spectrum bulbs. These are those new bulbs that are coil shaped. He said I would notice a difference. I soon did, my geraniums under these light don't get leggy. Anyway these are 13watt, a package of 6 cost me 20 dollars. I do use two of them and two regular fluorescents in the light canopies for my seedlings but I have no outside light. Hope this helps.

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by Niblet (U14438752) on Tuesday, 25th January 2011

  Ooh thanks so much for the great ideas guys!
  I'd love the idea of the full spectrum compact bulbs; I can use them in multiple desk lamps and put them in other rooms in the house when I don't have any seedlings on the go. That way I can adjust the height and I have a totally portable / flexible solution. I looked online just now and it looks like I can get the bulbs from amphibian / reptile specialist suppliers.
  I am indeed working with small qty's; I suppose I might have 35 seedlings if every chilli seed germinated and thrived, which is a lot to me but I think will only take up a table top. When they are bigger (and the daylight hours longer) I'll stick them on the windowsill which runs the circumference of my conservatory. I'm going to have a go with sweet peppers and mini aubergines too so I guess this system will suit them also. Any chilli (and other) plants I don't have room for I will sell at my local produce market and give the profits to my local animal shelter.

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by Bubble Works (U14532674) on Friday, 28th January 2011

  you already have the propagator, but otherwise why not go on freecycle or ebay and look for a small fishtank, preferably not too deep with a lighthood. They can be had for £20 for a 90cm tank. The hood can hold aquarium lights, I would think that anything that's good enough for corals will be good enough to grow plants? Otherwise daylight bulbs are available as well. If you really want to spend loads, you can get Metal Halide set-ups, but that's far too much money.
  
  The whole thing can be like a mini greenhouse, and as you are using it for plants, you don't have to worry about it possibly not being 100% leak proof anymore.
  
  After spring has finished, you can always be crazy and fill it with fish and underwater plants? If you don't watch out you wll have the house filled with fishtanks in a couple of years and will come back here to find out the best way to grow aquatic plants
  

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by Niblet (U14438752) on Saturday, 29th January 2011

  That's a really great idea, why didn't I think if that?! Thanks Bubble Works. I'm watching some on eBay now; if I can get one with a timer for a good price I'll just bung some full spectrum tubes in with a bit of tin foil behind... sorted!

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