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seeds Some seedling questions

Yea, well the more information the better. Im just looking for something to last me a few months and a few months only, and Im not sure If I wanna spend a few hundred dollars alone just to grow a few plants for a few months :(
 
yea, that price is also nowhere near what i've seen... i use aluminum foil cuz i figure something is better then nothing...
another bulb would probably be better but i wouldn't worry too much about more light, you're plants will be a little leggy but as soon as you transplant outside the sun takes care of any shortcomings and you don't lose too much time. my friend lives in maryland and is having her wedding in march and she expects flowers on the trees by then so its not like you're keeping them inside for five months like me. more is obviously better but it all just depends on how much money you're capable of commiting to this.
 
Let me tell you something.
The shop near my home is selling 6500K full length fluorescent bulbs for $1 each (36W) and $2 each (55W). a dual bulb fixture is about $5.
You get one of those, and put it REALLY close to the seedlings (almost touching them). that's all you need for now.
 
Ha yea
Thats easier said then done here, the prices are unfortunately not nearly as cheap as there, I wish it was. All in time, remember this would only be for like 2 months TOPS so
 
Straticus said:
Ha yea
Thats easier said then done here, the prices are unfortunately not nearly as cheap as there, I wish it was. All in time, remember this would only be for like 2 months TOPS so
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Some things are, and some are not.
Basic CFLs cost $10+.
 
Your little seedling will love you a MH the most but a shop light like Omri said in the 5k+ range is less than 30 bucks for a 4 foot light. It still is valentine's day isn't it.:onfire:
 
Obviously an MH will make beasts out of your little plants, but if you look at AJ's topics, you can see that tubes can be almost as good if you use them wisely.
Don't know the T5 prices where you live, but here's it's like buying HID system... so for me it's not worth it.
Remember! blue for leaves, red for flowering.
 
No actually here T5 is the cheapest and will most definitely cut down on the energy price versus like an MH set up. So yea essentially I will only have to use blue bulbs right, figuring 2 months tops
 
Straticus said:
What would most people recommend? A HPS setup or MH setup or just a normal like t5 fluorescent set up?
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If i understand your posts you are only looking for light to get them through the winter. then all you need is a 4' - 7.00 fixture at Home Depot and 2.00 40w cool white bulbs. That is all you need period. And your plants will do just fine until you can put them outside.

Dale
 
They have 2 foot fixtures if your worried about space but they cost about the same so why not fit twice the light. Make sure you get a sunshine 5000k kelvin floro tube or higher. To have any chance you at least have to have these lights. Not that difficult.
 
Yea well I found a Hydrofarm 4 Ft Jump Start Grow Light System Complete online and it comes with 2 AgroBrite full spectrum fluorescent tubes. I havent ever heard of these so they're probably garbage but its at a decent price.
 
my 42 watt cfl's cost ten bucks and they screw into stuff i already have, best price i've seen for just the shoplight fixture is 30 bucks and that was a 2 foot single, but yea, bulbs are only 2 bucks... gee, it's like absolute purchasing price parity just doesn't hold at all...
it's just two months then they go outside, so i'd say stick with flourescent and just price everything where you are and buy what you can afford.
 
Never heard of them and sure their junk compared what you can go buy at any hardware store. Get the T5 or T8 with the light you chose, leaning toward the blue spectrum. The sun will take care of the rest.
 
Straticus said:
Greetings all,
Finally able to post my first thread, after a few days of trouble. Anyways, i've was really into growing peppers a few years ago, and would start them inside like usual cause living in maryland, its way to cold outside etc. Need to get a jump start on that growing season. But this year I've started to grow tomatoes and peppers inside, and due to space limitations and light, i've ran into a few problems and questions. I used a new plastic "tackle" holder like used for fishing and I individually made cells for each seed in each, and used a heating pad under it for required heat to germinate. So my Caribbean Reds were placed on the each ends of each other, some on the far right side and some on the far left. And the ones on the far right germinated first, so i was forced to open my container to let air in to prevent from fungus. And I only have two lights, and I'm using 2 soft white CPL'S as grow lights, not long fluorescent light fixtures. So I was forced to transplant the young seedlings into different pots to put under the lights because the other seeds havent germinated yet. I was wondering, how much of a shock that is going to put on my young seedlings, i mean barely even out but sprouted. I dont want them to eventually die because of the shock, and im going to have to do it to most of my seedlings because im growing 6 different varieties and they are all going to germinate at different times. And I dont want some to germinate and not be under light, so im forced to move them as soon as the germinate. Im starting to wonder if this is a bad idea, and any comments or suggestions would be greatful. Thanks

Dan
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Dan, to answer your question from your original post transplanting your seedlings as soon as they sprout should not harm them at all, I transplanted over 400 plants last year and i started them in 144 cell trays and then to 72 cell trays then to 4'' pots and they stayed in those until they went outside. they come out of the 144's as soon as they are about 1/2 inch long and they go directly under the cheapest 4' fluorescent tubes I can find. Unless you are going to grow these plants in your house all year and want them to produce pods you need nothing more than that. Now i am not saying that all the fancy light would not be better they are just not needed for starting plants indoors with the sole intention being that they are going to go outside when the temps are right. Go cheap, you won't regret it.

Dale


lightstand001.jpg
 
Thanks a lot everyone appreciate your input :) I guess I will head on over to my local home depot or lowes and see what I can get going
 
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