Please post pics of your indoor seed starting setups.
- Thread starter 550Gator
- Start date
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Is your basement finished and livable or unfinished. For instance is it heated and cooled. Is it carpet floor, hardwood, etc.
I like shop lights that are four feet long, two bulbs. I hang mine with ropes. If you use rootmaker 18s express trays, you can move your individual cells around to group seedlings by height.
What are you growing and how many nuts of each type?
Fish
Well-Known Member
Sorry, no pics because my set-up is torn down right now.
I have an unheated basement, so winter temps are around 60 deg. I lower two florescent fixtures from the ceiling and set my growing cells on a table underneath them, keeping the lights as low as i can to still cover all the seedlings with good light.
As seedlings emerge, i run a fan through the day to move air and help the seedlings build stem strength.
My cells are large "conetainers" purchased from stewe and sons.
Its pretty basic, but works well for me.
I have an unheated basement, so winter temps are around 60 deg. I lower two florescent fixtures from the ceiling and set my growing cells on a table underneath them, keeping the lights as low as i can to still cover all the seedlings with good light.
As seedlings emerge, i run a fan through the day to move air and help the seedlings build stem strength.
My cells are large "conetainers" purchased from stewe and sons.
Its pretty basic, but works well for me.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
I use fluorescent lights on ropes. I built a grow box. I use conduit to keep the rootmaker 18s up high enough to promote air circulation underneath. I use an electrical heater with a timer to run it just enough to keep the temps in the mid 70s.
Your plants grow at different rates. These lights can be set close to the plants without burning them.
I hope this helps you some. I have two grow boxes - one holds 6 rootmaker 18s and the other hold 8 rootmaker 18s.
Your plants grow at different rates. These lights can be set close to the plants without burning them.
I hope this helps you some. I have two grow boxes - one holds 6 rootmaker 18s and the other hold 8 rootmaker 18s.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
I run an oscillating fan but only for 30 minutes a day when the stems get some size. Too much air will dry out the growing media in the containers closest to the fan and heater. Less is better.
I don't use humidifiers anymore. None are reliable in an affordable price range. I use timers to control the lights down a 30 minute interval.
Sorry for the picture being turned in the wrong direction.
I don't use humidifiers anymore. None are reliable in an affordable price range. I use timers to control the lights down a 30 minute interval.
Sorry for the picture being turned in the wrong direction.
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wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Bill,
My lights are at 12 hours right now. In January when I begin actively growing I will run 14 hours on and 10 hours off. The flour' lights don't generally heat that would harm the plants. This allows me to adjust lights close to the plants and I move plants around in the trays to keep plants of the same height organized to prevent shading. If lights are too fair above a chestnut seedling - the seedlings can get leggy. Chestnuts grow very large leaves and this makes the stems lean.
The oscillating fan I run helps the stems and the lights held close to the plants does a great job to reduce the leggy effect.
What is a grow box?
It is a constructed box make out of a light wood frame with insulation board. The only weight it supports is the fluorescent lights. My basement in my house does not have a finished floor. My rack that holds the rootmakers 18s in about 16 -17 inches above the gravel. I use electrical conduit to hold up the trays.
I run an electric heater and an oscillating fan. All three items are controlled by timers: lights, fan, and heater. I use an indoor - outdoor thermometer to see what the temps have been (high, low and current). I generally water once a day. For the last month, I have watered once every two days as I have the heat off.
These two grow boxes are located in my basement - one was built in late 2014 and one built in late 2015. I began growing in Jan 2015 in the first one and in Jan 2016 in the second one. This summer I built a greenhouse outside.
My grow boxes are built with screws and small wood trim to hold the insulation board in place. I use mylar to reflect the light back toward the plants. I have some duct tape on seams. I put plastic under my last grow box tray to catch water. That allows the water to evaporate which helps the humidity.
My two grow boxes are permanently located. I believe if a person was growing on a small scale they could build one small enough to make it portable. Both of my grow boxes are tall enough to stand upright inside of them. This allows me to grow mature plants of greater height.
My lights are at 12 hours right now. In January when I begin actively growing I will run 14 hours on and 10 hours off. The flour' lights don't generally heat that would harm the plants. This allows me to adjust lights close to the plants and I move plants around in the trays to keep plants of the same height organized to prevent shading. If lights are too fair above a chestnut seedling - the seedlings can get leggy. Chestnuts grow very large leaves and this makes the stems lean.
The oscillating fan I run helps the stems and the lights held close to the plants does a great job to reduce the leggy effect.
What is a grow box?
It is a constructed box make out of a light wood frame with insulation board. The only weight it supports is the fluorescent lights. My basement in my house does not have a finished floor. My rack that holds the rootmakers 18s in about 16 -17 inches above the gravel. I use electrical conduit to hold up the trays.
I run an electric heater and an oscillating fan. All three items are controlled by timers: lights, fan, and heater. I use an indoor - outdoor thermometer to see what the temps have been (high, low and current). I generally water once a day. For the last month, I have watered once every two days as I have the heat off.
These two grow boxes are located in my basement - one was built in late 2014 and one built in late 2015. I began growing in Jan 2015 in the first one and in Jan 2016 in the second one. This summer I built a greenhouse outside.
My grow boxes are built with screws and small wood trim to hold the insulation board in place. I use mylar to reflect the light back toward the plants. I have some duct tape on seams. I put plastic under my last grow box tray to catch water. That allows the water to evaporate which helps the humidity.
My two grow boxes are permanently located. I believe if a person was growing on a small scale they could build one small enough to make it portable. Both of my grow boxes are tall enough to stand upright inside of them. This allows me to grow mature plants of greater height.
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wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Sam
Will you use sunlight thru the window or will you provide lights to your seedlings? If you could share your plan, I might be able to give guidance based upon what I learned.
I call them chicken lights because farmers use these to keep little chics warm enough. They can provide supplemental light to add to sunlight thru a window. I have about 6 of these in use.
The photo shows 2 chicken lights supplementing the window light. The seedlings are on TV trays. There is a floor vent underneath providing heat. A cheap setup but it is certainly better than nothing. The red arrow is pointing toward the floor vent.
Will you use sunlight thru the window or will you provide lights to your seedlings? If you could share your plan, I might be able to give guidance based upon what I learned.
I call them chicken lights because farmers use these to keep little chics warm enough. They can provide supplemental light to add to sunlight thru a window. I have about 6 of these in use.
The photo shows 2 chicken lights supplementing the window light. The seedlings are on TV trays. There is a floor vent underneath providing heat. A cheap setup but it is certainly better than nothing. The red arrow is pointing toward the floor vent.
Sam
Active Member
Well here it the sun room, i have two sets of lights to hang if i need them and a couple chicken heating lights. I was thinking of building some kind of table at window level but that is about as far as i have gotten. Looking for room maker pots but haven't found them local i think i will end up having to order them.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Sam,
Windows are right angles. The fan is setting on the side that faces which direction: south, west, north or east.
The white igloo cooler - which side are those windows facing?
The angle of the sun drops down in winter months. It is for that reason I always suggested supplemental light added to the sunlight.
You have the resources for an excellent indoor growing operation. Congrats and thank for sharing.
Windows are right angles. The fan is setting on the side that faces which direction: south, west, north or east.
The white igloo cooler - which side are those windows facing?
The angle of the sun drops down in winter months. It is for that reason I always suggested supplemental light added to the sunlight.
You have the resources for an excellent indoor growing operation. Congrats and thank for sharing.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
The north window will provide the least amount of sunlight.
Assuming shade trees don't create blind spots, I would rate South facing best, West facing second (afternoon sun), East facing third and North facing fourth.
Sam you work at it and you will get that sun room growing healthy seedlings. Supplemental lights will be part of your success.
Good luck.
Wayne
Assuming shade trees don't create blind spots, I would rate South facing best, West facing second (afternoon sun), East facing third and North facing fourth.
Sam you work at it and you will get that sun room growing healthy seedlings. Supplemental lights will be part of your success.
Good luck.
Wayne
Here is mine.......basically a 2×4 ftame that has welded wire as the "deck" to support the trays. I used my staple gun to attach plastic under the frame so that when I water it acts as a gutter and flows into a bucket at the end......no mess that way.
I also drape it with plastic and the lights keep it quite warm in their own. I use shop lights as well and adjust with string and eye bolts/pegs. I wired it all so that it runs to one plug that uses a timer to turn lights on/off as I want
I also drape it with plastic and the lights keep it quite warm in their own. I use shop lights as well and adjust with string and eye bolts/pegs. I wired it all so that it runs to one plug that uses a timer to turn lights on/off as I want
