Growing lettuce indoors

[Potstubsdustbins]

Ananke yes its height adjustable so you can keep the lights close to the seedlings/crop, 10cm is the recommended height.

I have now had chance to pick up some 40 cell plastic modules and two will easily fit into the bottom tray. 80 seedlings in the warm and in the light too. You can also get 35 3" pots in quite easily.

Guess whos got a bucket of compost sat at side of him in the office, should be well warm by Sat ready for planting.

Colin

[zazen999]

Guess whos got a bucket of compost sat at side of him in the office, should be well warm by Sat ready for planting.

Erm....Chris?

[veggiechicken]

Guess whos got a bucket of compost sat at side of him in the office, should be well warm by Sat ready for planting.

Colin

Is that Humanure?

[chris]

Sorry if I missed your update on this Colin, couldn't find it when searching.

How have you found the grow light so far?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Hi Chris, old age mate I forgot. Sent you a pm but for the other grapes I'll stick it here as well.

I raised some of my toms and all of my sweet peppers, chillies and cumbers in the grow light.

Do to the awful weather this years the toms raised on the window sill were so leggy they had to go through the 'milk bottle' to make half decent plants. Those raised in the grow light were entirely different, no leggyness what so ever and the result was very sturdy plants. Even with the continued bad weather the Sungold are now up to six trusses with masses of small toms.

The next test will be to grow Mesclun and raddish over winter.

Colin

[redser]

+1 on the grow lights. I started my various plants under a shop light for 6 weeks, swapping to natural light in mid-March. I've had positive comments from people around the plots who started plants off at the same time but used windows and greenhouses. It appears the good start really stood to them. And it doesn't cost an arm and leg to run, approx 6-7 euro a month for 8-9 hours a day (running at night).

[SarzWix]

It's definitely on my Christmas list

[bigchopsbilly]

Thanks for the update Colin, are the light tubes a standard size/fit or would we have to buy special 'only for this' ones. I have had a look on ebay and T5 tube light units with same watts and light output are approx same price without the adjustable hood, waterproof base and seed trays, so like SarzWix says definitely on my Christmas list also.

[Potstubsdustbins]

The tubes are 60cm long 24 watt but to be honest when I looked at the spec and saw they were rated at up to 10,000 hours of use I didn't bother going any further.

Colin

[SarzWix]

Had some money for Christmas, so I went to order one of these, but the website no longer lists them. A quick Google showed that Amazon lists them from Marketplace sellers, so I ordered one from there; £58.25. Very happy, can't wait for it to arrive and get sowing We *will* have tomatoes this year! (And healthy, sturdy onions as well )

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garland-G139...6684547&sr=1-6

[Piggle]

grow lights .... we've got a 600w one which heats the room as well, it costs bout a £1 a day to run but it is like the centre of the sun.
My hubby bought it which is why it's no doubt far too bright for what we actually need - he's never think to actually check things like electricity consumption or other practicalities!
Found the cat alseep underneath it the other day so it's obviously the warmest place in the house.

[MarkHackwell]

Sorry to bump this thread, but I just wanted to know if you are still using the Grow Lights at all? Can get one from the Garden Centre for £49.99 and wondering if it's worth the investment or not?

[Penellype]

I have been using one of these for a couple of years now and like it so much that I bought a 2nd one this year. A few pictures:

January 2014



September 2014



April 2015



May 2015





I have both of them on a timer rather than having to turn them on and off manually, and it works a treat. They also make a self watering tray which fits inside - you can see this in the last picture. I have found this very useful.

[Potstubsdustbins]

^^^^^^^Would that be a Grow Light Garden by any chance if so I have had one three years and am more than happy.

[Penellype]

Yes it is.