Starting seedlings under lights

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Starting seedlings under lights
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dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 21 9:00 am Post subject:

Slim wrote:

Mistress Rose wrote:

That's interesting Slim. I didn't realise that the fluctuation in temperature between day and night affected legginess. I always assumed it was trying to get to the light.

It is largely the plants reaching for light. But if you provide enough light, or are just measuring with a constant light level, you'll see the temperature differential also has an effect. I know this is true with tomatoes, I'm assuming also with other common crops, but can't promise.

temp control matters, not just min/max but day temp/night temp

it is fairly easy to create perfect conditions if you know what they are

re "leggyness" the spectrum of the light has quite an impact as well as the intensity
with modern led rigs that is an easy parameter to adjust

re garage vs spare room i would go for garage as it will be more "robust" ie waterproof, easier to sterilize against pests and diseases and easier to do the mechanics of the heat/vent stuff

another thing is that there is full climate control including light intensity and duration if you use a room with no windows(garage) but if you are just using booster lights in "daylight" you have to work with the daylight times from nature.

some folk even get extra fancy and adjust the atmosphere for a little extra CO2 or add extra UV to the spectrum when it is most useful

grainknot

Joined: 26 Mar 2021
Posts: 11

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 21 8:09 am Post subject: IKEA

My partner and I have had very good success with IKEA's Hydroponic light - which unfortunately seems to have been discontinued. It was called VAXER. This year we rigged it up to their SOCKER in/outdoor greenhouse to raise our seed.

This has allowed us to start all of our summer veg, the tomatoes have done particularly well from being started under the light.

I've also grown bonsaied chilli plants indoors hydroponically using the light too with success.

Shan

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 21 8:40 am Post subject:
Welcome to the forum Grainknot. Do you prune the Chillis to be bonsai or are they a 'dwarf' variety?

grainknot

Joined: 26 Mar 2021
Posts: 11

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 21 1:17 pm Post subject:
Hi! I prune them/half nip the growing tip to cause them to bush out. There's a brilliant YouTuber called KhangStar who has taken the art of hydroponic chilli growing and crossing to new heights. Highly recommend if you're interested in such things

Shan

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 21 7:36 pm Post subject:
Thank you, I shall go have a look ... assuming my internet lasts that long!

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28238
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 21 6:29 am Post subject:
I'm interested in the idea that basic LED spot bulbs work for this. I am not keen on all the expensive contrived set ups I keep seeing.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 21 7:26 am Post subject:
the old style low energy bulbs will provide heat and light for cuttings and germination for a week or two modern ones made for the job are better anything that needs growing up to a decent size needs good lights and environmental control there are many types of light source, LED's seem to be the best yet for horticulture

grainknot

Joined: 26 Mar 2021
Posts: 11

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 21 8:35 am Post subject:

From my understanding the newer grow light LED's also put out a mix of light wavelengths. It's a real shame that IKEA have stopped selling their little grow light strip (maybe check ebay?)

When plants are under it, the shadows show the colour mix through - if my GCSE physics serves me correctly - refraction. There is red and blue as well as white in the mix, so straight LED's might not be enough.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 21 8:51 am Post subject:
spectrum mix is a big subject as a general theme, for seedlings and vegetative growth something close to spring light is ideal, for flowering a more summer spectrum is better day length is another big theme last big theme is every type of plant has perfect conditions for the stage it is at, so a general purpose rig needs to be average

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 21 11:04 am Post subject:
If only starting seedlings that will finish off outdoors, the cool white of the cheapest LED shoplights you can find will be fine.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28238
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 21 7:47 am Post subject:
I have been googling around the spectrum issue and I think the general conclusion is.... Plants like light, you probably want 3k as that's cheap, but more specialised stuff like 4k and so on does not make a lot of difference. It reminds me just a little bit of expensive speaker wire for HiFi

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 21 10:31 am Post subject:

Slim wrote:

If only starting seedlings that will finish off outdoors, the cool white of the cheapest LED shoplights you can find will be fine.

yep, very like spring light

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Apr 04, 21 12:38 am Post subject:

The IKEA lights are very good, I would definitely buy more if I could get them. I’ve got some pink lights as well, but I don’t think they are as good (although it’s hard to tell, as I’ve had some timing issues, and I’m not sure I have quite enough lights for the area)

I went back to the spare room set up. It’s nice and warm, has a bathroom next door and I can check on my seeds in my pjs. I ripped up the carpet, put down a cork floor and took out the bed. No-one stays over anyway. The seedlings don’t mind sharing with the laundry, and I enjoy having some greenery to do my Yoga amongst. I’m planning to have plumbing through for the washing machine, so I don’t think it will be much bother to have a sink as well (the bath is on the other side of a stud wall, and there’s already a handy hole from where the bath waste leaked)

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Apr 04, 21 9:54 am Post subject:
seems ok, just beware of the damp/ventilation thing any water you add that evaporates/transpires has to go somewhere, outside is better than into the structure of your home a good but basic dehumidifier might be a well spent few quid or get a fan and some ducting

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Apr 04, 21 11:25 am Post subject:
It’s not been an issue up to now. I just open the window when its warm enough. The beauty of using the spare room is that I can amble in absentmindedly twenty times a day while I’m on the phone or whatever, so I can keep a close eye on it.

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