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Ordered a book today

W

wordwiz

"Lighting Up Profits" by Paul Fisher and Erik Runkle. These guys have done a ton of research into greenhouse gardening, more so in lighting but also temperatures and CO2 and how they affect plant growth, flowering and production - in the long run, profits.

Not really expensive - $35 with tax and shipping, or about one-half of a monthly electricity bill for my grow lights. I saw a chart that showed the increase in production from raising the CO2 levels to about 750 from average GH (or upstairs grow rooms) levels and it is worth looking at, especially if I can build my own generator - which I have but I have not yet tried it!

One tidbit for anyone growing under lights (paraphrasing):
Think about light and rain as being similar. Plants need both. A July thunderstorm may deliver 1/4" of rain in 10 minutes or a day-long drizzle may provide 1/2". Which is going to be the most helpful to your plants? Like rainfall, it is the accumulation of light that counts.

I'll probably get a brain freeze from trying to put together all the pieces but hey, I'm not going to learn this stuff any younger and I am committed to growing indoors except during warm months!

Mike
 
OK, here's the first tidbit, that I had to check with the author to make sure it is correct:

A foot candle of light from an incandescent light actually provides more PAR light (light between the 400-700 nm spectrum - light plants use for photosynthesis) than the sun does from the same foot candle.

Of course, there is a caveat - it takes a bunch of IC light watts to provide the same FC. Way too much to make them efficient, even if you own stock in the energy company!

Mike
 
The byproducts of burning hydrocarbons are carbon dioxide and water. If you're heating, you have plenty of carbon dioxide.
 
So..........stop using electricity to heat and use hydrocarbons.

They are cheaper than electricity by a factor of 4 and produce carbon dioxide.
 
I considered the costs of electricity, propane and kerosene, including the initial investment. It would have been ludicrous to spent $800 for propane, kerosene creates too much soot - especially if I turn it extremely low - not to mention carbon monoxide, and it would not be any less expensive than electricity. In hindsight, I'm glad I did not elect to buy a propane heater and rent a tank, as I will not be growing anything in the middle of winter next year. Simply not enough sunlight. I may use part of the GH to overwinter plants, but they will not need 55 degree heat.

Mike
 
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