lighting Lighting...agh! I swore I wouldn't post this

[imaguitargod]

I've read the lighting posts before and saw so many over time. I sore I wouldn't ask a lighting question but then again I swore I wouldn't move back to Cleveland (ha, look at how that one turned out). So here here I am, back in Cleveland and posting a lighting question. First here's the set up (beer bottle is for size comparison...not for growing my first beer tree):

Complete with regular sized bulb holder as well:

My parents have (for the past 20 years) this sitting around now it's getting used again. My mom was growing African Violates under it at the time (20 years ago).

They have Sylvania Gro-Lux bulbs in the 40 watt range (two of them). My question is will this be enough. I will be growing peppers, herbs (not erbs), tobacco, peas, tomatoes, lettuce, etc etc. Should I upgrade to different lights? Add two regular sized bulbs?

There is also a smaller, two tube set up that I may break out down the road as well.

 

[habman]

Man I love that lightstand.
That's a vintage one for sure.
You can tell it's an older model because it's got a regular bulb socket.
If my memory is correct back in the good old days they used to supplement fluorescent light with regular bulbs or halogen because the old fluorescent tubes only used 3-phosphor and the light spectrum was crappy.

 

[DrHavanger]

there should be a formula of x amount of lumens at y color range/temp for z square feet...

 

[imaguitargod]

Man I love that lightstand.
That's a vintage one for sure.
You can tell it's an older model because it's got a regular bulb socket.

I asked my mom, she said she had them before she was married...so probably 71 or 72. (but then again, he estimates are off alot of the times).

 

[willard3]

30-50 watts/square foot will get fruit with chile plants.

 

[DrHavanger]

30-50 watts/square foot will get fruit with chile plants.

is that correct? different types of lights at the same wattage have different amounts of lumens

 

[imaguitargod]

More questions:

What bulbs should I be using?

Also, I've been asking around and people have been saying to plant outdoor the last week of May/first week of June around here. They also said not to start my plants (peppers in particular) until April.

With the set up I have, do you think I should start now or wait until April?

 

[POTAWIE]

Start now. How many plant are you starting?

 

[imaguitargod]

Start now. How many plant are you starting?

Well for peppers, I think I've going to do 5 varieties and about two of each which means I'll start four or five of each which would total to 25 plants to start.

 

[teh purple penguins]

isn't it still snowing in OH? if that is your only light.. i would maybe wait a second for 25 plants. unless i missed something which remy martin makes me do sometimes lol.

 

[imaguitargod]

isn't it still snowing in OH? if that is your only light.. i would maybe wait a second for 25 plants. unless i missed something which remy martin makes me do sometimes lol.

Yep still snowing, sometimes it's 60 degrees, sometimes it's 7....

My mom has another gow light set up as well, smaller though.

 

[wordwiz]

It's impossible for this Bengal and Reds fan to feel sorry for someone who live in the Mistake by the Lake but those forecasters are predicting our biggest snowfall of the year over the next two days. That probably means we will end up with a bunch of slush but given how wrong these people can be, we could have 10 inches on the ground - a couple of them sleet. And to think, March came in like a lamb but only for a couple of days.

Mike

 

[GrumpyBear]

we had another monster snowfall yesterday (only this time i didn't get a snow day...and i broke my third shovel this year, good thing i learned to keep a spare) and they're predicting another 15cm by saturday. keep in mind we got about 20cm the other day when they predicted 4...

 

[imaguitargod]

It's impossible for this Bengal and Reds fan to feel sorry for someone who live in the Mistake by the Lake but those forecasters are predicting our biggest snowfall of the year over the next two days. That probably means we will end up with a bunch of slush but given how wrong these people can be, we could have 10 inches on the ground - a couple of them sleet. And to think, March came in like a lamb but only for a couple of days.

Mike

Ya, we're getting hit around 8ish and they are saying 14 inches.

 

[AlabamaJack]

Up along the Red River (Ok-Tx border) just north of me, they got 7 1/2" (19 cm) yesterday. We got about an inch here in West Fort Worth but it is supposed to be back in the 70's by Sunday.

 

[POTAWIE]

we had another monster snowfall yesterday (only this time i didn't get a snow day...and i broke my third shovel this year, good thing i learned to keep a spare) and they're predicting another 15cm by saturday. keep in mind we got about 20cm the other day when they predicted 4...

Now they're saying 30-40cm. by Saturday. and I'm still snowed in from the last snowfall.

 

[tony05]

and here i am watching the day after tomorrow on the tv. the entire Northern hemisphere just froze on tv then i read this.

Move south folks, MOVE SOUTH!!!!!!!!!!

Im having to water my chillis daily to keep them alive here on the other side ofthe world and i cant stop them producing.

I have taken about 100 - 150 chillis of my 2 plants and they have shot another million shoots.

Im scared. I may have to rip one out because there is only so much orange habanero one fella can use.

I have been thinking of making orange hab concentrate to sell for some cash. I made one batch and its fantastic......... its pure orange hab paste. I love dunking he finger in for a hit of heat when i want it.

cheers

 

[AlabamaJack]

is that correct? different types of lights at the same wattage have different amounts of lumens

Yes...different lumen count for same wattage bulbs with different color temperatures...a phillips 3000K fluorescent bulb produces 3300 lumens while a 6500K bulb produces somewhere around 2700 lumens. Can't remember the exact numbers for the 6500K...but I seem to remember that the lower the color temperature, the more lumens they produce relative to each other.

 

[LUCKYDOG]

...but I seem to remember that the lower the color temperature, the more lumens they produce relative to each other.

WHAT!!! I went the wrong way I have the 6500k and wondering why nothing is happening

 

[AlabamaJack]

LD...I am using the 6500K ones too, in combination with the 4100K...6500 is closer to the blue end of the scale and supports growth better...the 3000K is down on the red end of the spectrum and supports flowering/fruiting better...