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| I didn't see a recent thread for showing how people have their lights setup so I thought I would start one.
I just started setting things up and sowing seeds two days ago and have a long ways to go. I am ordering a lot more flower seeds tomorrow. On the right is my three tiered seedling cart 48" wide x 16" x 68" tall. Each shelf has two 54 watt T5 fluorescent lamps with reflectors with pull chains to adjust their heights. On the left are four 48" double lamp shop lights. I can adjust the upper ones on the chains. I adjust the flats up and down for the bottom lights.
Tomorrow I am ordering the following.
I have a very small yard and most annuals go in pots and hanging baskets so I have to be careful with how many plants I start. My yard is mainly taken up by over 200 varieties of hostas.
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Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by Kihaku-Gato 5 (My Page) on Thu, Feb 2, 12 at 15:39
| Wow, I'm envious of the size of your set up franknjim lol, so many seeds/seedling trays too! My set up is much smaller.
The seeds I have yet to plant yet are: My miscellaneous Asiatic Lily seeds that I've been storing in the fridge all winter long. Speaking of which, would any of these seeds be fine sprouting in my south window? I know I had good luck with Pelargoniums and Chinese Lanterns by the windows last year, but that was in March, so I'm not sure if it would do as good to do it so "early" (plus it can get slightly chilly by the window too). |
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| Germinating seeds on top of a fridge works well for many people since it is usually a warm surface. Only certain seeds need light to germinate, they all need warmth. I use a large heating pad designed for large breed dogs. It is at the upper end of the temperature range for germination at 90 degrees F. I also use the areas above my lights for the heat. I would do the Cacti seeds in the window. I save every cell pack, flat, tray and pot and use them until they fall apart. When I give plants away I have the people return my pots to me and have them save their pots for me as well. I have everything from teeny tiny pots up to 40 gallon. I have four self watering flats with domes that have 24 cells. For single 9 cell packs I put them in one gallon ziplock baggies. For full sized flats I wrap them in clear sheet plastic and use a stapler to close it up. I use sandwich bags over plastic cups sealed with yarn tied around the cup. When I use plastic cups, I use a soldering iron to melt drain holes in the bottoms to prevent cracking of the plastic. Fifty of those pots on the right are all different Hostas that I brought indoors to give a head start. They get moved around as my seedlings start expanding and I need the room. I also keep a fan blowing on low. It simulates the wind outdoors and makes for stronger plants. This pic is from last year. All of the cups on the floor are starts of variegated vinca vine. I had the lights raised up for the pic. |
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| My light set up cost me 40 dollars total. I got the crazy fluorescent bulb from amazon. It's 5500K which is good for growth on a seedling. www.amazon.com/Full-Spectrum-Light-Bulb-daylight/dp/B0019HZQPM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&sr=8-2&tag=143tony-20&qid=1328349074 Here's a link to my blog that shows how I set it all up.
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![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-no34Ol3KTLQ/TWHkCc8BiCI/AAAAAAAAB_E/-kSm7qAYWf0/s1600/IMG_2658.JPG")
Here is a link that might be useful: How I Built The Light Box
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| Here is mine from last year, I haven't gotten going yet this season. There was a 5 ft. wide built-in closet with sliding doors in my garage. When I converted the garage into a heated work shop, I pulled off the doors of the closet and put in shelves. I am using cheap shop lights with standard fluorescent bulbs. Each shelf has 2-3, two bulb fixtures. Some are T12, the newer ones are T10, allowing room for 3 lamps. I can put 4-5 trays per shelf if they stick out the end a bit. The tin foil lining was a bad idea, I need to paint the interior white before I start this year.
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| work in progress .... 3 4ft 8 bulb T5 HO lights and one 2 ft 4 bulb. I have a mix of 3000k and 6400k bulbs that I can interchange depending on the growing stage. They are on timers for 18 hours a day and heating pads thermostatically controlled to 72f only when lights are off. btw ... how did you insert the picures without a link? |
Here is a link that might be useful: my lights
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| To remove the link you have to edit the html code and remove everything from "< a href" all the way to the first > symbol. |
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- Posted by hummersteve 6 (My Page) on Sat, Feb 11, 12 at 11:29
| I went back thru my archives for some pics from last year and this year. Mine doesnt have the professional look like some , just a jury rigged style but it works for me. I just do mainly salvia with a few oddballs mixed in. setup from last year with a one light setup Even though I havent as yet started any seeds for this year I have some cuttings Ive been nursing thru since nov. some are cuttings from cuttings. Note. the light setup has been raised for photos only.
some closeup shots
I have had to move the cutting from under lights to make room for seed starting, so here they are in front of my 6ft slider where they will remain untill they can go outside |
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- Posted by keriann_lakegeneva 5B WI/IL border (My Page) on Sun, Feb 19, 12 at 22:10
| Wow Frank you are going to have a jungle come may. Have you started seeds before? I just started begonias, geraniums and lisianthus last week and I am a little behind on them. I am starting Peppers and other flowers next week but waiting a few more weeks on my petunias, impatiens and other random flowers. FYI I have had the best luck of direct sowing amaranthus. Love all the pictures!! Keriann~ |
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I have been seed starting since I was a child. I have a ton of things started and a ton more still to get going. I needed more room so I built a new set up. I will use this next winter for hosta seed starting after I start hybridizing my own hostas. With this new setup I can flip a switch and everything will be bottom watered in a matter of minutes.    |
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- Posted by keriann_lakegeneva 5B WI/IL border (My Page) on Mon, Feb 20, 12 at 7:50
| Wow Frank that looks GREAT!! Keriann~ |
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| Pretty basic setup here. Mostly I have herb cuttings going right now. My peppers are just starting to germinate so I'll be altering my setup a bit. My lights are a bit high above the tops of the plant. I do that because this is a south facing window in sunny Colorado so if the lights were lower they'd be blocking alot of bright light.
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- Posted by mccommas z5CT (johnray67@hotmail.com) on Sat, Feb 25, 12 at 15:49
| I just have two regular lamps with the special light bulbs (just 40 watts each) and the plants are also by a window that gets some light in the eve. It seems like just enough. The lemon tree particularly is having a wonderful winter. IN years past it would lost a lot of leaves because of the poor light. |
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| Hmmm I wasn't going to start anything really till the 15th but seems if Peoria is starting I ought to get moving. Due West of me. I sacrificed a few kohlrabi and raab seeds as well as tried to get spinach to grow in last 2 weeks or so. The raab was supposed to be slow starter but shot right up. I may get a cheap shelving unit to try this out. Never had success before with homegrown plants.... |
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| Don't gauge when to start things based on what I am doing. I'm crazy. I start many things too early and do a lot of pinching back to keep it under control until I can get things outside which isn't until the first couple of weeks in April around here. |
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- Posted by fixerupperinnh 5 (My Page) on Thu, Mar 1, 12 at 15:43
This is the set up I have in my basement.  My hubby installed the utility sink for me last year. It makes life a whole lot easier. |
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