Growing Lights

[Geoff]

A neighbour insisted on giving me some money for dog walking while they were on holiday and wouldn’t take no for an answer so I decided to treat myself to something I have often thought about but it never got to the top of the list. So I am now the proud possessor of two 125 watt Envirolites. I tracked down some that had been used as demos locally in Lancaster and got them for £10 each. Before I bought them I explained that my propagator was approximately a square metre and would they recommend these or something else and they said that is the set up they would suggest. I went to collect them today and was surprised how big they were, don’t get a sense of scale from the article in KG last year or the various websites. This afternoon I set them up to hang from a batten across the top of the propagator (luckily it is home made and over 18" high at the highest point) powered through the timer I use for the pond pump in the summer and switched on. The light level seems very high and looks silly looking down the garden from the house. I have set the time for 4am to 10am and 4pm to 10pm and am wondering how long it takes the neighbours to comment.
My question is has anybody got any experience of using lights or do they know of a source of good advice? The GrowLightsDirect website has a pathetic pdf you can download and I can’t find anything on RHS. I am looking for light per unit area and timing advice, I set my time from the 18 hours in KG (thought 6 hours daylight in the middle would be OK) but have also read that tomatoes should be 17 hours.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Geoff, looks as if you have beat us all on this one. they always seem just that little bit to clever for me, but would be very interested if you could let us all know how you get on with them, later in the season.

[Monika]

A chap in our village uses them to grow prize winning onions and leeks and at the moment his lights seem to be on until about midnight and then again from early morning. If you are desperate, I will ask him to explain (he has no computer). Let me know.

[Geoff]

I found there was an Envirolites website as well as the distribution site and I emailed them, they have promised me a leaflet but it hasn't arrived yet. Results so far look good.

[Geoff]

Here is a bit of the leaflet from Envirolite. It explains area coverage but I still have no information on hours per day or expected bulb life, perhaps “the management” could ask them. I could try a few of the many cannabis links I suppose.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Geoff, lets hope you don't get a visit from the drugs squad if they see your light glowing away.

[Chantal]

Hmm, and think of all the light pollution!

[peter]

Dear Geoff, lets hope you don't get a visit from the drugs squad if they see your light glowing away.

OH, how long did the Luton Rozzers hold you for last time?

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Peter, it's all just too technical with the equipment they use, but there have been quite a few empty houses raided in Bedforshire growing the stuff.

[Geoff]

What you need is this bit of kit from the dubious magazine they gave me where I bought the bulbs.

[nick]

Hi Geoff, my first post, but interested how things are going.
I have several tomato plants and pepper plants which I am hoping will get me a couple of weeks ahead of the Jones's. The envirolite I am using is a white 125w.
So far indications are good, with good growth.
What I really want to know though is :
1.) Is there a max/min amount of light the plants can take (ie I guess I should turn the light off overnight)
2.) Has anyone else experience they can share ?
3.) Should I be using a fan, as I hear that circulating air is best.

Let me know if you want to compare notes, I would be interested.

Nick

[Geoff]

My propagator is about 1 sqm, slightly wider than deep (1.2x0.9). It was made over 20 years ago from tanalised floorboards and is about due a rebuild. It has a sloping top (0.35->0.50) with two lift out boards on the high side for access. It has clear plastic on the low side facing the shed window and a twin wall polycarbonate lid. It has a Rodstat set at 21C controlling one cable in the base and one round the sides (that are white emulsioned each year). I reckon the lights haven’t cost anything to run as the stat is switching off more often.
I found it difficult to get advice on light times. Where I bought the bulbs they suggested 24 hours for germination then 16 hours. I am using 4 to 10 am and 4 to 10 pm with daylight in between. When the lights are on I cover it with hardboard faced with kitchen foil.
Difficult to photograph but I am well pleased so far. Left and right are 15 tomatoes for the 10 I want for the heated greenhouse (3 each Latah, Sungold, Gardeners Delight, MoneyMaker, Montfavet). Back middle are surfinia cuttings (I buy plants early and take lots of cuttings for us and to give away. Last year 10 ‘mother’ plants bought in March gave me over 100 plants so this year I bought 4 in January at 65p each, so if I get 100 again, 20 so far). Front are 12 aubergines which are definitely ahead of usual. Out of sight are some left over reluctant sweet peas and a cucumber. This weekend I plan to sow the cold greenhouse tomatoes (outdoor not until 4th April). After that I have a problem as the next weekend should be the peppers. I can’t decide whether to move the lights with the tomatoes and aubergines to the greenhouse and let the peppers grow as other years or let them have the lights.

[nick]

Hi Geoff.
I was just asking abour the amount of light, etc, to see if my plants were progressing ok.
The growth looks good, growing twice as fast as their windowsil counterparts.
They do have some yellowing on the leaves (just colouring, not deterioration) and the odd leaf on the peppers is a tad purple.
I guessed they are getting too much light or a mineral deficiency.


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[Geoff]

They mainly look great to me - is that 24 hours light?
The tomatoes might be running out of food - are they in seed compost or multipurpose? Mot sure about the peppers, strange effect.

[nick]

I have left the light on for a few days for 24 hours (Really must get a timer !)
Otherwise lights off at 10 and on again and 6.
Plants are in Innes seed compost, may need some nitrogen rich feed ?