lighting Whats better...longer hours of weaker lighting or shorter hours of actual sunlight?

[svtcontour]

Hi guys, I've been holding my peppers on this rack by the window in my kitchen which has some shop lights suspended from it. Recently as weather has gotten better, the whole kitchen is flooded with sunlight from at least 8am until about 3-4pm. There are some shady sections as the sun moves but overall, lots of light. I took the plants off and arranged them by the window. Not sure if this is better for smaller plants. After about 4pm, I get indirect lighting from outside.

Do you think this will be ok for now until the plants go outdoors in a couple months or is the rack with the lighting a better choice (I was leaving that on for about 14 hours)

This (not that this picture is from weeks ago)

or this?

PS there are some berry plants and Okra mixed in there incase you thought they were strange peppers Also I put the older plants closer to the window to get the strongeset sun because I thought it might be too strong for the smaller ones. My arm was actually burning from the sun in the window...and thats way up here in Toronto.

 

[RichardK]

My plants do ok in 16 hours under CFL but don't fruit much, when I put them outside for about 7 hours of sun the rest shade they load up, and seem to do just as good as inside foliage and growth wise, so it depends really

 

[Ballzworth]

i would say the sunlight is better. Just like yourself, now that we've been getting quite a bit of sun during the day through the southern windows, I've relied on that for lighting and haven't used any flourescents (will only use lights on cloudy days now). The plants respond much better to indoor sunlight than flourescents IMO.

 

[svtcontour]

i would say the sunlight is better. Just like yourself, now that we've been getting quite a bit of sun during the day through the southern windows, I've relied on that for lighting and haven't used any flourescents (will only use lights on cloudy days now). The plants respond much better to indoor sunlight than flourescents IMO.

Thats what I kind of figured as well...The intensity of natural sunlight is just so much stronger so I figured that maybe it would shock the plant into growing more as it has to deal with the stronger light. Also it will prepare the little guys for life outdoors

 

[JJBagoose]

I would think that this early in the season that the Shoplights are the better option. The reason I say this is because for me in Massachusetts I won't be fully comfortable planting outside until late april or even late may. In my experience relying on Window light results in leggy plants.

Right now I am getting great compact growth under shoplights. I figure that when I bring them outside in another month or so they will explode.

I am planning to bring them outside for a couple of hours tomorrow and whenever temps permit but then they will go back under the shoplights.

Does that make sense? Can Potawie or another northern senior member chime in here?

 

[Pepper Ridge Farm]

Maybe place the larger plants in the window light and keep the other less established plants under a shoplight 24/7. It is just a matter of space for me I use the window light as a weight station for my plants that are waiting to go outside. It is free light and can definitely maintain a well rooted and growing seedling until. I have always used window light as part of my plant routine, moving seed trays in the window light during the day and under the shop lights at night. I feel it is best to use both if possible to get the best looking plants. I overwinter many plants on window light and they survive for months.