[diane]

I use grow lights all winter. They make the electric bill go up some, but for me it is far cheaper than medications for depression that I get without them. Then there is the wonderful feeling I get growing lettuce, radishes, tomatoes and cukes all winter and the flowers. Plus, I never have to buy expensive bedding plants for my flower gardens, or any veggies plants.

 

[diane]

Brenda, we heat with wood. Our nights are cool and our days are warm and my plants really thrive. I don't know about the regular bulbs, they might work for plants but they don't do a thing for seasonal affect disorder. I do have a combination of bulbs, but at least one broad spectrum bulb per shelf. I am not talking about the newest ones I see advertized that are super expensive, but the aquarium/grow light bulbs that they have into Lowe's and Home Depot. We don't do T.V. and in most rooms my grow lights are the light I work by so for us our electric consumption is not nearly as high as most folks anyway. Right now I have a Habiscus in bloom and some blushing susan thunbergia that is about to bloom. Really perks up the spirit when days are so dark.

 

[diane]

I got my seeds from Thompson & Morgan.

The description says "A stunning Black Eyed Susan from T&M's own breeding. Blushing Susie is predominantly red, with other shades of ivory and aprocot adding contrast. SPectacular tumbling over containers, twining around basket chains or climbing obelisks in containers." I will tell you when they bloom if they were worth the money. :haha:

I believe Seymour's and a couple of others have the "Spanish Eyes" which are suppose to be quite nice also.

 

[diane]

"What do you do to grow things to completion inside? Are you growing in regular potting soil or regular outside dirt? Once the seedlings sprout, do you then transplant to bigger pots and different types of light setup? Inquiring minds want to know...thanks!"

I start most all my seedlings in those little Jiffy-7 pellets and than, as they grow and need more root space I transplant to bigger pots. Right now I have a tomato plant in a five gallon bucket that is in a window between my "grow shelf" and the window so it gets natural light as well as light from the grow lights. I have, as others have done, successfully grown seedlings just with the shop lights, but for the long haul and for my SAD I need the actual broad spectrum lights. I have one of those bulbs in each two bulb shop light.

Radishes don't always work.....depends on the type. This year I am having poor luck with the little easter egg ones for some reason. Other years they have worked very well for me. I am harvesting lettuce and spinach today. I have a large bench in an alcove with two shop lights over it on chains that can be adjusted for taller plants. By my kitchen sink I have one on end so it hits my pupils in the early morning and I frequently have a cucumber vine growing in a large pot with a stake beside that. Just use your imagination and you can have much fun.

I do use purchased potting soil, but this year am going to try and make my own.

 

[diane]

Heather.....I give my plants a 14 or 15 hour day. It is my personally experience that they do better if they have a night. Don't know why.....just seem to do better for me.

 

[diane]

gobug, yes....I grow lettuce (leaf type) and spinach year around. I usually have two or three dishpan sized tubs going at any one time.

I think people are confusing grow lights with those expensive grow shelves.

What we use are some salvaged industrial shelves and chain links and shop lights with growlux bulbs being 1/2 of the bulbs in the shop lights. With hooks and link chain I can raise and lower the lights to my needs, always able to keep light close to the seedlings to avoid leggy plants. I painted the shelves a fairly attractive green. One shelving unit has only four shelves, which makes it useful for taller plants and one has five. I also have a large bench in an alcove that has several lights over it. Currently I only have the four shelf unit and the bench in use, but as we approach spring I will have both shelving units going and another shelf that I "park" flats on to rotate because one unit will be going 24 hours/ day but different plants will be under the lights.

I start all my own bedding plants and veggies, as well as enough for several friends and family members. We think of building a greenhouse, but the cost of building it and maintaining it and heating it always directs us back to the system we are using which provides wonderful plants, sunshine I need to stay sane and an overall happy environment.

 

[diane]

Some of my grow lights

http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v63/gardiacaprines/Indoor garden/lights1.jpg


http://img21.photobucket.com/albums/v63/gardiacaprines/Indoor garden/one_shelf.jpg

 

[diane]

I am not sure I am understanding your fire concerns. Poor wiring could be the only reason I could vision a fire problem as the bulbs are not hot enough to start a fire just hanging there. I don't notice a difference in the two types of bulbs in the amount of heat they put off. The fixtures are a little warm, in fact when I am germinating I frequently place a small cookie sheet with the seed starters on it and set it on the hanging fixtures to provide bottom heat and speed up germination.

In the for what it is worth department.....no matter what type of bulb I use, I get leggy plants if the bulbs are not really close to the plants. You really need to have those lights so they can be moved up and down as needed, unless you have a huge amount of shelves and can move your plants from one place to another as they grow. I do have one shelf where the lights are fixed. It is the shelf where I do most of my germination and the seedlings can be there until they get to be about 1" tall and then I move them. It works well for me because I start so many things and some, like snapdragons and impatens, need to be started far earlier than others.