On 2017-07-23 11:26:30 +0000, Archibald Tarquin Blenkinsopp said:

On Sun, 23 Jul 2017 09:37:59 +0100, Asha Santon
wrote:

On 2017-07-22 23:20:32 +0000, Archibald Tarquin Blenkinsopp said:

Anyone used one of these?

I thought I would give one a go, 900W [presumably effective LED power]

As the mains power is 120W I assume it's the equivalent wattage of a
sodium lamp of similar luminosity?


Anyway, I am totally new to growing things, but having bought some
Oleria, I thought I would try a few flowers and vegetables. The light
was bought due to the late time of year I'm starting and limited room
outside.

I have some cuttings from the Olearia under the light along with
African Marigolds, sweetcorn and spring onions.

The cuttings have not rooted, is three weeks too early?

and the rest of the stuff only shows a marginal improvement over the
"control" plants in a south facing window.

I power up the light for eight hours. I switch on when I get home in
the evening and off in the morning.

The room is lit with daylight from a curtained window also.

The light does not seem to be worth the power expended on it, but is
it worth keeping for when the days shorten?

Has anyone any tips or suggestions please?

AB

I think the plants would like it to be dark at night, that being what
they have evolved to enjoy.
If you live sufficiently far north, you might use a standard (warm
white) 8 watt LED bulb on your windowsill to make up for the
deficiencies in daylight - perhaps an hour or so in the morning and up
to three hours in the afternoon. At this time of year, nature provides
all the light needed.

8W seems a very tame rating, it suggests possibilities for producing
housplants at a property I visit every couple of months or so.

Growing sweetcorn on a windowsill?

Based on the order of extraction from a pack of 15 mixed vegetable
varieties from Amazon. I will have to move things outside somehow.

Compost and watering procedures do not slot in well with the squalor
that passes for my usual domestic cleaning regime.

Anyway many thanks, from advice provided by yourself and others in the
thread, I have decided to dismantle the light.

Regards

AB

You are most welcome.
The one I use in a north-facing window at 57.5˚ North is 8W or 10W LED,
3000K - it isn't to hand for me to check the wattage.
Bear in mind this is to supplement daylight, not to replace it.
At winter solstice, sunrise is 0900 and sunset 1500 here (in round
figures) hence the use of the bulb with non-native plants. Native
plants grow well enough by themselves.

--
Asha
minnies.opcop.org.uk
nature.opcop.org.uk
pictures.opcop.org.uk