Winter Lighting - Advice Needed

Plants and Cuttings need to be happy for the winter.
Ideas for flexible and affordable lighting?
Thank-you
Arlene

Arlene
Use a shop light fixture with one warm white and one cool white bulb. You can get these at Lowes or Home Depot very inexpensive. Mount the shop light on chains so that you can place it as close to the plants as possible and raise it as the plants grow.
I have mine on a timer at least 12-14 hours per day.
I've been using this method for 4-5 years, it works great.

Check out this old link of mine.

http://davesgarden.com/t/182059/

Paul

This message was edited Friday, Nov 22nd 8:29 AM

This is a thread from last winter
http://davesgarden.com/t/169142/PVC%20pipe

I will go check that link but may have questions; probably need that seed starting heater too BRB

Looked at the links:
By PaulGro
Use a shop light fixture with one warm white and one cool white bulb. You can get these at Lowes or Home Depot very inexpensive. Mount the shop light on chains so that you can place it as close to the plants as possible and raise it as the plants grow. I have mine on a timer at least 12-14 hours per day.

By Poppysue
The PVC is pretty cheap. At home depot the 8 - ten foot lengths came to 10.88 and the 40 "T" joints came to 19.60. Total cost without the lights was $30.48 plus $15 for the cutter. I have the lights I need already so I didn't have to shell out for those. We didn't glue - it's sturdy enough and I want to be able to take it apart . . . add another 6 inches to the vertical bars... making them 20" tall.

My Comments:
Found the plans for this in a Word Document-lovely drawings-email me if anyone wants them.
Is it ok to post plans here - came from another website called T's Flowers and Things - gives credit on top of document.

Good idea:
- not to glue together
- increasing the distance between shelves.

Arlene

TLC: If your going to start plants from seed. I've had good luck here in Iowa, starting seeds around the last of February or first of March[most of the perennials and annuals]. Tomatoe seeds should be started here not before March 10 or a little after. If started earlier, they get too leggy. Basils are a fast growing herb, they need to be started in April, about a month before the frostfree date. Hope this helps.

The best way to time your seed starting is to read the package. Most of them will tell you haw many days to germination, transplanting etc.
Determine when you want to transplant and count backwards to determine the date to start the seeds.

My PVC shelves are done! We worked hard today to put them together; put a thermometer on and they keep the temp around 70 degrees. wonderful shelves! Poppysue, followed your recommendations with the 20 inch shelves; was not sorry;
My addition: casters on the bottom so we can roll it out to clean!
LOVE them!

thanks for everyones help!

ready to sow
arlene