overwintering Lighting Help for First Overwintering

wintermute · Oct 21, 2014

This is my first year growing and we got surprised with near freezing temps one night this weekend. This made me wake up and realize I need to get my overwintering system set up. I have four plants in 12" dia. pots that I want to keep overwinter in a room in my basement that gets very little direct light. I want to cut these plants back pretty significantly and I'm not necessarily looking for much growth over the winter. I want to do something rather cheap and temporary at this point and expand/upgrade this year, so I'm looking to set up a fluorescent shop light of some sort for the endeavor, preferably something that can be sourced from big box stores.

I know this is amateur hour stuff compared to what most on this subforum have, but what does everyone recommend? Thanks.

juanitos · Oct 21, 2014

if you have a window that gets decent day sun that works and it's free.

wintermute · Oct 21, 2014

Unfortunately, I don't have any windows that aren't taken up already.

John1234 · Oct 22, 2014

Shop lights work well enough, I try to mix up "colours" re: warm and cool

wintermute · Oct 22, 2014

Thanks miguelovic, that's what I was looking for. I assume it doesn't matter if I go with T5 or T8 lights?

John1234 · Oct 22, 2014

T5 are a little pricier, but have higher lifetime, output, efficiency, etc.

In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter

If I were grabbing lights for overwinter, and a T8 set up was a huge mark down, I would bounce the T5 across the floor

rory · Oct 22, 2014

I also have a question..,., if I cut my plant right down to main stem with a few branches, no leaves, will it survive in a dark garge with no light till spring?
Dont worry about "amateur hour stuff" thats what these communities are for.
You say your not looking for much growth either, does that mean no growth and no peppers just survival of the plant, Perhaps the same as what I want to do?! I

wintermute · Oct 22, 2014

Granted, it would be awesome to keep pumping out peppers through the winter, but I don't want to spend too much money on an overwinter setup. I'll be perfectly happy to cut back my plants a bunch and have a head start come Spring. If I get growth or peppers, it's a bonus.

Vertically Challenged · Oct 23, 2014

35w cfl like this

X
XCX
X

X= plant
C= CFL

should surfice, rotate plant daily if possible.

Also Case told me you f*cked on the last deal

wintermute · Oct 23, 2014

I've got two 2-bulb 72" T12 fluorescent light fixtures over my work bench. Right now they have 55W 4100k bulbs. I'll switch out two with 6500k 85W bulbs. Quick, cheap and easy, should be good, right?

Vertically Challenged · Oct 23, 2014

wintermute said:
I've got two 2-bulb 72" T12 fluorescent light fixtures over my work bench. Right now they have 55W 4100k bulbs. I'll switch out two with 6500k 85W bulbs. Quick, cheap and easy, should be good, right?

4100k is fine for overwintering
Only give them 8-10 hours per day of light I made that mistake first time and gave em 18/6 and they suffered and then they died.