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How far will windowsill light take you?

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UltraZelda64

I have two Jiffy peat pellet mini greenhouses, one that holds 6x6 pellets and the other able to hold 12x6 pellets. I intended to get a fluorescent light fixture or two for lighting, but that fell through--the one I wanted had specific instructions beyond what I would feel comfortable doing, and didn't even come with a standard A/C cable. So, in other words, that has to wait. There is another, much longer fluorescent light fixture down in the basement, but it needs a larger table to put up there in my room... there's not much room in there, so I need to figure something out. And even then, I have no idea how many lumens it produces and at what color temperature; no doubt far more than what they're getting now.

My first tray, the smaller one, had all of its seeds germinate first (it was also the first one I did, a couple days sooner), and I've been using a small compact fluorescent light bulb with aluminum foil all around it to take care of it when the sun goes down, and putting it by the south-facing window in my bedroom at night. Unfortunately for the plants in the larger tray, I currently don't have an extra light fixture for it set up, and it has to rely purely on the south-facing window in my room for light.

I want to fix this ASAP, but will have to wait a few weeks (at most, I'd like to solve this sooner). So my question is... how long can these plants make it by the light from a south-facing window alone? Should they be alright as is without any additional light for a while, or should I attempt to alternate the two greenhouses with the compact fluorescent (thought it will not work as well, since it's barely even enough for the small greenhouse... it will probably require lots of turning to try to keep the plants from stretching to the light)?

Small Greenhouse:
Ferry-Morse Serrano
Ferry-Morse Jalapeno M
Burpee Early Jalapeno (Organic)
Burpee Biker Billy Hybrid Jalapeno
Burpee Habanero

Big Greenhouse:
Sonoma Sunset Hybrid
California Wonder
Chinese Giant
Cardinal Hybrid
Orange Sun
Pot of Gold
Kaleidoscope Mix
Red Habanero

Also, my room tends to be quite cool at around 60-65 degrees, while down here with my compact fluorescent it's probably around 75-80 (it's near a heater vent).
 
For years my father did ok with a south facing bay window for light only and he never had any issues. The only issue I can think of is they will grow slower and maybe get a little leggy. What size flourescent fixture are you looking for? A standard 4' from walmart should have the cord and be assembled, all you need is a couple standard bulbs, just find the ones with the highest lumin rating and you will be fine.
 
Matt50680 said:
For years my father did ok with a south facing bay window for light only and he never had any issues. The only issue I can think of is they will grow slower and maybe get a little leggy. What size flourescent fixture are you looking for? A standard 4' from walmart should have the cord and be assembled, all you need is a couple standard bulbs, just find the ones with the highest lumin rating and you will be fine.
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I was thinking something around 24". I was interested in one at Lowe's, a 24" and dual-light fixture, which I thought would be just about perfect... two lights, meaning about double the lumens and lighting area (I believe it would have been a total of about 2400 lumens output, if I remember correctly, and they were 5000-degree bulbs that I was looking at). That wouldn't be too long, and not really too short (though 28-30" would've been nice just in case, for expansion, but I saw nothing around that size). I checked the local Walmart too, and the only one that looked suitable was large... 50- or 60-some inches. It looked about the length of the one in my basement.

This is my first time starting peppers from seeds, so I wasn't fully prepared, though I intended to have a proper light by now. I will definitely look into them again in the future, and try to figure something out soon with the light in the basement. I just checked on the plants that are receiving mostly window light, and they don't really look any worse (so far) than the ones getting fluorescent... but I was wondering because I'm sure they'll need more as they grow. And it would suck to see them all just start dying...
 
lowes or home depot has 48" shoplight fixtures for 9.95 and two 6500K bulbs that put out 2350 lumens each will sost you about 6 dollars...that is a win in most situations...I don't know about the 24" ones...I think they are more expensive...check the lighting section at lowes or home depot...

if you do decide to leave them in a south facing window, turn them 90 degrees each day....
 
A mirror or white piece of paper behind the plants will help to reflect some sun back onto them. (every little bit helps)
 
I feel window light is better than artificial light at certain stages of a plants life. I germinate under floro lighting then place my trays in the sun when ever I get a chance after they have have their first true leaves. I do this to keep from getting leggy plants, helps warm the soil and keep the nasties off the top. After my first transplant to cups I alway place in a windowsill again for a week to get use to their new home then under my HID to get big. Just the way I have always done it, I love southern facing window light.
 
I agree with PRF. My plants are under compact high fluoro lights (T5) for the first 6 weeks of their lives. Then they go into a south facing bay window. After a week they turn so incredibly green it is amazing.

I also believe that no artifical lighting can truly replicate natural sunlight. Nothing beats the Metal Halide in the Sky...;)
 
Why do you guys use lights with a hot spectrum? I'd stick to 3000 - 3500 K instead of 6500. The majority of this hot light's spectrum is in the NIR, and makes plants grow fast and get leggy. This light is however missing the blue, promoting photosynthesis. I would or use a full spectrum light, or combine hot and cold.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. Lots of good ideas... it seems that window light isn't as bad as I've read it can be for peppers. I like the idea of using something reflective to redirect more sunlight back onto the plants... it's what I'm doing with the CFL (out of necessity), but I never thought to try the same with sunlight (and it might be a bit harder in that case than it is taping foil around the corner of a bookshelf).

I just ran into my first potential problem... watering. The peat pellets are starting to go dry and turn light brown; and one or two plants (both in the same pellet) were starting to wilt somewhat. The reason I say "problem" is, one of my pepper plants I tried growing in the past (planted in regular, probably crappy potting soil in a normal pot) died due to overwatering... It would wilt, I would water it a bit, it'd spring back up for a short amount of time, and basically a series of wilt, water, wilt, water would go on constantly (seemingly every few hours). I increased the amount of watering to see if that would keep it from wilting longer. Soon, its only set of true leaves turned yellow and fell off, just days after losing its seed leaves... I'm sure that was probably too much water.

Should I be worried about this with peat pellets? When watering, should it be done as a stream or mist? Squirt the soil only or the entire plant also? I'm just paranoid about any more plants getting the same fate as my last one, I guess... :(

Thanks to everyone who replies and for any tips/help.
 
Here is what I've been doing, with pretty good success. I have 2 large windows they get almost as much light thru the day as they would in the shade outdoors.

IMG_2763.jpg
 
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