Grow lights - What is yours like?

[Adrianne]

There has been some talk recently about seedlings and since we are approaching the time to start, I was thinking about grow lights.

 

What does your grow light look like? How did you build it? We are on a very tight budget so we cannot afford to buy a grow light kit.

 

Since the hive is such a frugal and creative mind, I thought I would come here for ideas. What creative ways have you come up with for making a grow light for your seedlings?

[Mrs. Readsalot]

I am glad we saved the light. We gave up on fish awhile ago. I started the seeds in a dark room next to the furance to keep them warm. Then we they sprouts I moved them to the light. I keep the light on from 6 am till 9 pm. I had to transplant a few tomatoes today they are getting so big(not leggy though) I am very pleased with the light.

[KristineIN]

I have never used a grow light, I use a south facing window, clear containers with lids and put peat pellet pots in them and sprout my seeds this way.

 

Kristine

[Adrianne]

Then we they sprouts I moved them to the light. I keep the light on from 6 am till 9 pm. I had to transplant a few tomatoes today they are getting so big(not leggy though) I am very pleased with the light.

 

How is the light suspended above the plants? Did you make a stand?

[Adrianne]

I have never used a grow light, I use a south facing window, clear containers with lids and put peat pellet pots in them and sprout my seeds this way.

 

Kristine

 

I am going to try this in my southern facing window. Thanks!

[Claire]

I used to grow seedlings and plants in a basement under flourescent lights. Didn't even get the full-spectrum flourescents; the regular ones worked fine for my needs. If you go this route, be aware that the light should be no more than 2 inches from the top of the seedling or plant. It needs to be that close. Also, I recommend putting a timer on the flourescent light. These are pretty inexpensive at hardware stores. 18 hours a day of light is about ideal.

 

I put the plants on a table and suspended the flourescent light on chains from hooks in the ceiling.

[HomeOnTheRanch]

We did this last year and saved them. I won't start my seeds this year for another month or so. We had a frost last year in the middle of JUNE! :eek:

 

Here are the pictures, but I don't really have the instructions on there. Basically, the inside of the box is lined with foil. The only cost was the light socket kits (I suppose you could use an old lamp, but I chose not to deviate from the instructions) and the bulbs. I believe those are 13w bulbs.

 

A hole goes in the top of the box and the plastic lid. The plastic lid goes on top of the box for reinforcement. Then install the bulb socket in the holes. Once everything is set up, put on a foil door. That's it.

 

With the light bouncing all over the foil I didn't have a problem with the plants getting "leggy."

[Sara R]

I was browsing the internet last week on gardenweb.com and came across an easy, cheap, and reliable method of growing seedlings called winter sowing. It's a method of sowing seeds inside mini-greenhouses made from recyclable containers during the dead of winter up till around now, and placing them outside. The seeds germinate when the weather tells them it's time, and they are somewhat protected from the elements in their little containers. They grow stronger than seedlings grown under lights, and they don't die from "damp off" where the fungus gets them.

 

I'm trying it out! I've asked all my neighbors for their old milk cartons, lol. We'll see how it works. The website has lots of information and people who vouch for the method.

 

I'm excited, because seeds are soo much cheaper than nursery seedlings. Places like Rite Aid, Dollar Tree, and Walmart are selling basic seed packets for 10 cents each! I hope to have a great vegetable garden and lots of flowers grown cheaply and easily.