View Single Post
  #4   Report Post  
Old 16-08-2012, 11:10 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible
Ecnerwal Ecnerwal is offline
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Apr 2012
Posts: 177
Default North Facing Window to Grow From

James Dawson wrote:

I have no garden space to grow in and I really want to grow some berries
and veg so I was going to use my bedroom window which sadly is north
facing, it is an average/small window would I still be able to grow
here?


Not much from the window alone (assuming northern hemisphere.) If you
don't mind running a light 12-16 hours a day you can grow pretty much
whatever you want where ever you want it (given space) but it does cost
a certain amount both to set up and to run every day. Supplementing the
window light will be most cost efficient (some free light is better than
none) but non-window locations work, and if built nicely can become a
focal point in the house - quite nice on those gray days.

In my experience you do not need "special grow lights" or some of the
other stuff that's sold at outrageous prices for the purpose - plain old
cool white or warm white or a mix of cool and warm white fluorescent
tubes work fine. Mixing in some red-light sources to add to them helps a
few things a little - the old way was to run a few incandescent bulbs as
well, nowadays you might want red LEDs or the like.

Also look into community gardens or allotments - if you don't have a
place to grow stuff at your house, you might be able to grow stuff
outside, just not at your house.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
Please don't feed the trolls. Killfile and ignore them so they will go away.