You will get varying opinions on grow lights. When I used to use lights
to start plants I did not use them. Used regular fluorescents (they were
cheaper). They worked OK but not great. I packed the light fixtures in
as close as I could to get the most light concentrated onto the plants.
I tried grow lights on one shelf and saw no difference. It was a very
limited and non-scientific experiment. If there's no difference between
grow lights and the regular fluorescents, you might not want to spend a
lot of money on the extra lamps. However, you have to make that decision
yourself, so I would suggest you do your own experiment and get a lamp
or two and put it at one end of your tray. If that end does better than
the other then you will know that it's worth it for next year.

I had a lot of space under the lamps, so I took a pile of newspaper and
placed the flats on it so that they were 1-2" from the lights. As the
plants grew I removed layers of newspaper so that they didn't grow into
the lights, but stayed close to them for maximum light. It was a lot
easier than trying to move the light fixtures.

The newspaper also helped to absorb water that I (invariably) spilled.

I now have a greenhouse and it's much much much much much much much much
much much much much much much much much much much much much much much
much much much much much much much much much much much much much much
much much much much easier.




Ralph D. wrote:
So... as a carry over from the other thread...

Another thing the agent thought was that I had made a mistake in swithching
to all grow lights. Says that they are not full spectrum and suggested
adding a few regular flourescent lights. I have 5 shelves with 4 'Grow
Stick' flourescent lights. If I were to place a small lamp on the top shelf
and another on the middle shelf with those newer screw in type flourexcent
bulbs meant to replace traditional bulbs at 26Watts each (maybe three
lamps?) would this add a sufficient amount of the missing light? I have no
convenient way of getting them to a good window and start waaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy
too many seeds for window sills (not to mention old aluminum frames transmit
the cold at night and there would be a PIA ritual of taking everything down
and putting it back up again in the AM).



Anybody know anything about light spectrums as it would relate to growing
seeds?