• If you need help identifying a pepper, disease, or plant issue, please post in Identification.

Bunch of n00b questions...

6

68MUDSTUD

Hey everyone, I found this website from a youtube video about a week ago, and have been lurking since then.

To start off, I live in Montana, and in the winter it is not uncommon for it to get -30 degrees outside, and in the summer it can get to 110.

I've been thinking about how to grow peppers through the winter, and I'm kind of thinking about a Lean-to style greenhouse that would be connected to my living room window. I think I would want it at least 6'x8'. think it would work?

also, What kind of grow lights do I need? I'd like to use a regular 4' flourescent fixture if possible, as I already have a few extra.

Thanks in advance!
 
I think the best thing for ya to do is build it and see if it works out for you. As for lights, 4' fluorescents should work (just make sure they're atleast a Daylight/6500 kelvin). Plus, try searching this forum for specific answers, there's quite a lot of people who have opinions and pictures as far as greenhouses (and lighting) is concerned.

Oh yeah, btw, :welcome: to the forum. :D
 
IMO you need at least 3K lumens per square foot of red lighting to keep on producing...so that puts you at about 144K lumens...shop lights won't work...

If you just want to grow them thru the winter, a lot less light is needed...BUT...remember this...if the plants don't get enough light, the new growth will be very weak stemmed IMO...I have a 4' X 4' grow box with 18 42 Watt CFLs I use for seedlings...
 
Check out gardeners.com They have a lot of different little setups that are similar to what you are looking at doing. If you plan on building it yourself, I have a set of materials lists for places like lowes/home depot for materials and specs on constructing it. Good luck. Hope it works out for you! keep us updated
 
Not to be a stick in the mud, but these are tropical plants. They would have trouble surviving at 30 degrees, much less -30. Dont know what you have in mind by a lean-to attached to the windoaw, but I'd say they would have to be in the part of your house that is heated. Then you have light issues. Ugh.

Lots of guys here from Canada so I'm sure you'll get some good tips.
 
I tried a GH this past winter. I live in southern OH, and it was a mild winter, at least as far as coldest temps go. I hate to say it, but I will not do it again. AJ is right about the lighting - 3K lumens per sq. ft. That's about a 400-watt MH or HPS to cover a 4x3 grow area. You will have to run it at least 12 hours a day from Christmas thru Valentine's Day, give or take a few days. If Montana is like Cincinnati as far as sunlight goes, figure 15 hours a day for most of January and part of February. My GH is 196 sq. ft. and it took 1800 watts of electricity to raise the temps inside by 30 degrees. If the temps dropped below ~12, I had to use kerosene (not a good idea but I didn't want to invest in a propane heater and tank without seeing if growing would work).

What I'm getting at is that it is going to cost you a boatload of money. The GH would be great to get an extra week or three at the end of the year and that much of a jump in the spring. I really believe in growing throughout the winter but this year it will be some plants in a spare bedroom that gets passive heat (55-80 degrees over a 24-hour period) using 400 or 600-watt MH lights.

Mike
 
Yeah, I've been thinking about it more lately, and have pretty much decided against a greenhouse. So... Grow box, and lighting for it... I can handle a box easy enough... School me on lighting! All the lights I have looked at online are $100+ for a 4' fixture. is there anything cheaper?

Line the walls and ceiling with tinfoil? lol I know, I'm a cheapass.

thanks for all the replies so far!
 
many many posts and threads about lighting and anything you want to know about it have been posted...do a search for lighting and check them out..

here is a thread on my grow box...

http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/3347-january-2008-project/

here is a thread I started on a grow area...

http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/3619-08-febuary-2008-fridays-project/

and if you are interested, here is a thread on my seed germination chamber

http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/2942-seed-germinator/

and if you are really interested, here is a picture of my "growrage"

http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/3795-picture-of-grow-garage/page__pid__54227#entry54227

I use this equipment from December to March
 
AlabamaJack said:
many many posts and threads about lighting and anything you want to know about it have been posted...do a search for lighting and check them out..

here is a thread on my grow box...

http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/3347-january-2008-project/

here is a thread I started on a grow area...

http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/3619-08-febuary-2008-fridays-project/

and if you are interested, here is a thread on my seed germination chamber

http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/2942-seed-germinator/

and if you are really interested, here is a picture of my "growrage"

http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/3795-picture-of-grow-garage/page__pid__54227#entry54227

I use this equipment from December to March
Click to expand...
Wow, awesome AJ! Thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top