Growing Lights
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
I can't help wondering if you are overdoing the lights as far as tomatoes are concerned. I sow mine in a heated greenhouse in December, no artificial lights, just 8 hours of natural daylight. Mine look no different to yours, in your photo, certainly no legginess. I suspect that tomatoes can manage quite well with the amount of light we have in the UK as long as they get the fullest amount of it and heat.
Hello Nick
The yellowing in the leaves of your plants looks like early signs of a magnesium deficiency. Everything looks potted up well in a good quality compost so its probably not a problem with the growing medium. It could be that because of the long hours of light the plants are simply not able to take up magnesium fast enough to match their growth. Also if the compost is high in potassium this could induce an apparent deficiency of magnesium.
I would water the plants with half strength solution of Epsom salts with a drop or two of washing up liquid so that you can apply it as a foliar feed and compost feed. If this is going to work you should see an improvement in a few days so to be on the safe side just try a couple of plants first.
John
PS I must say both you and Geoff has got impressive setups with your lighting.
The yellowing in the leaves of your plants looks like early signs of a magnesium deficiency. Everything looks potted up well in a good quality compost so its probably not a problem with the growing medium. It could be that because of the long hours of light the plants are simply not able to take up magnesium fast enough to match their growth. Also if the compost is high in potassium this could induce an apparent deficiency of magnesium.
I would water the plants with half strength solution of Epsom salts with a drop or two of washing up liquid so that you can apply it as a foliar feed and compost feed. If this is going to work you should see an improvement in a few days so to be on the safe side just try a couple of plants first.
John
PS I must say both you and Geoff has got impressive setups with your lighting.
The Gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men’s lives, the hours spent fishing Assyrian tablet
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
Nice one Compo ! I did wonder about the socket, but do take the plants out before I water them.
Think I have sussed the purple tinges. After a bit of googling, it appears it is phosphorous deficiency. Apparantly if the soil gets too cold, the phosphorous is not released and becomes trapped. When I checked the room I have them in, I overlooked the small vent in the wall. It was minus 6 here last week, so I suspect the room was cooling down so much that during the day it did not really raise the soil temp that much. (The lights don't give off any heat at all)
A couple of days ago, I put a small heater underneath on the lowest setting and the purple has now gone.
(and the vent is now sealed!)
I do have a greenhouse in the garden and would love to set them off in there, however the garden only gets 2-3 hours of sunlight at this time of year as we are surrounded by overhanging trees.
Thanks for all the replies, I'll put some photos on again next week, but I can't recommend the lights enough at the moment. 4 weeks growth and the peppers are 4-5 inches high.
Thanks again
Think I have sussed the purple tinges. After a bit of googling, it appears it is phosphorous deficiency. Apparantly if the soil gets too cold, the phosphorous is not released and becomes trapped. When I checked the room I have them in, I overlooked the small vent in the wall. It was minus 6 here last week, so I suspect the room was cooling down so much that during the day it did not really raise the soil temp that much. (The lights don't give off any heat at all)
A couple of days ago, I put a small heater underneath on the lowest setting and the purple has now gone.
(and the vent is now sealed!)
I do have a greenhouse in the garden and would love to set them off in there, however the garden only gets 2-3 hours of sunlight at this time of year as we are surrounded by overhanging trees.
Thanks for all the replies, I'll put some photos on again next week, but I can't recommend the lights enough at the moment. 4 weeks growth and the peppers are 4-5 inches high.
Thanks again
Sorry, thought the point had been made. These have been in the soil for 4 weeks, not since December. On average they get light from 6am to 9pm, I have left the light on a few times overnight by mistake. In my garden they would not get this amount of sunshine, yes they would get light, but dappled by the trees.
I just think that for 4 weeks of work (of which 10 days was germination), this is a far simpler way of gardening if you do not have the time to put into the hobby.
I just think that for 4 weeks of work (of which 10 days was germination), this is a far simpler way of gardening if you do not have the time to put into the hobby.
Well I don't have a lot of time either
I haven't touched my plants since I sowed them except to move them from the propogator onto the bench.
At some time (soon I imagine) you will need to move them into the greenhouse when their growth will slow.
I agree that lights have a use but probably not for tomatoes, more for exotics and more tender plants.
I haven't touched my plants since I sowed them except to move them from the propogator onto the bench.
At some time (soon I imagine) you will need to move them into the greenhouse when their growth will slow.
I agree that lights have a use but probably not for tomatoes, more for exotics and more tender plants.
Just thought I would put a couple of pics on in case anyone is thinking of getting an envirolite. I know I've pursuaded a few people who have planted in Jan and had to pay for heating a greenhouse.
The peppers are particularly good, some over 6" tall now. The previous "purple" leaves were down to the soil getting a tad cold, so suggest heated mat or heater underneath. Anyway, couple of pics of peppers below if interested.
I think half will go in the greenhouse now and half stay as they are in bigger pots. Contrary to another writer, if you search the net for "envirolite" there are growers who solely use the lights to grow all their plants / veg, changing the bulb to a red one when they flower to mimick the changing of the sun to a lower position. Interested if thats you !
The peppers are particularly good, some over 6" tall now. The previous "purple" leaves were down to the soil getting a tad cold, so suggest heated mat or heater underneath. Anyway, couple of pics of peppers below if interested.
I think half will go in the greenhouse now and half stay as they are in bigger pots. Contrary to another writer, if you search the net for "envirolite" there are growers who solely use the lights to grow all their plants / veg, changing the bulb to a red one when they flower to mimick the changing of the sun to a lower position. Interested if thats you !